


If you know someone nice

by tilimwornout



Category: Red Velvet (K-pop Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Office, Character Development, Eventual Romance, F/F, Friendship, Roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:35:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 84,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23976094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tilimwornout/pseuds/tilimwornout
Summary: Joy can only do so much to push to push her loneliness to the back of her mind. Seulgi is a great coworker trying to be a better friend.Inspired by Joy's OST "Introduce me a good person". Cross-posted on AFF.
Relationships: Kang Seulgi/Park Sooyoung | Joy
Comments: 63
Kudos: 113





	1. Chapter 1

Winter is fine. It's not the worst season. Joy cherishes the precious 4-5 hours in the middle of the day that it's warm enough to go out and pretend the world isn't frozen over.

Even her daily morning walk to the nearest bus stop from her rented room is bearable. She's warm as long as she keeps her gloved hands in her padded jacket's pockets and her nose covered by the bulky muffle scarf her grandma got for her when she moved from Jeju to Seoul for university.

The walk is always exactly 7 minutes and she's determined exactly what time to wake up so she can grab a convenience store breakfast and not miss her bus.

If there's anything worse than rain or the harsh bite of a gust of wind during these walks, it's the sight of young couples huddling for warmth.

She tries not to tear up when she watches this boy blow his warm breath into his palms, rubbing his hands over hers, before helping her put gloves on. Now he's placed a kiss on her nose while fixing her scarf.

Joy inhales deeply as if the air would push out the heavy feeling in her chest.

Yeah, she's not over it.

She shouldn't be trying to blink back tears on her daily commute but she is.

Her last relationship slipped through her fingers while final examinations for university and a cutthroat job search were pulling her in different directions.

Spread so thin even if congratulations were very much in order.

So when her mom asked her to come home until her job started a month after graduation, she took the chance.

As much as she loved being back home, you really can't easily shake memories of your first love.

Her thoughts are disrupted by warm breath against her nape. The giggle that follows is a dead giveaway.

Easily startled, Joy stumbled backwards but the slightly taller girl behind her had always been sturdy and strong.

"The bus is arriving," Seulgi announces quietly.

No proper greeting, just an apologetic smile as she gestures towards their bus turning the corner.

"Come," the older girl says as she opens one side of her oversized coat. "Get in here."

Joy smiles to herself silly and accepts the invitation. She snuggles to her side and feels a little less lonely while they wait for their turn to get on the bus.

It's near full capacity so the two spend most of their ride standing close. Not that they haven't gotten used to it already.

"I hate couples," Joy mutters. Her eyes catch another pair laughing to themselves.

Seulgi has that expression on her face again. She knows she shouldn't laugh and that her coworker is still nursing the loss of her one great love but Joy is cute.

"Should I start dating again?" Joy asks absentmindedly. They were two stops away from their workplace.

"Are you listening to yourself?" Seulgi teases. "Just a while ago you said you hate couples."

The taller girl glares her down but it isn't long until she sighs in defeat. "Maybe I just miss my ex."

The older girl merely hums a response, looking ahead of her as their workplace comes into view.

"How long did you crush on me in high school?" Seulgi teases as they wait for the elevator.

Their boutique creative agency was on the 4th floor of a sleek building owned by some bigshot actor.

"Until I realized I was getting taller than you," Joy retorts.

She playfully hits Seulgi's shoulder with hers as she walks into the office and finds her way to her desk.

The work day starts almost immediately. A year into her job, Joy has found a routine that works for her.

She pulls up the to-do list she created at the end of yesterday and breezes through the follow-ups and messages from important people.

Once she finishes up tasks marked as "immediate", she checks the rest of her messages and finds out where her help is needed.

At noon, her team does a quick sync up to update everyone on the status of ongoing projects and Seulgi drags her to wherever for lunch.

She spends the rest of the day working on more follow-ups, major projects, and sometimes client meetings.

Despite her methodological approach to her work, every day is hardly the same.

That's what she loves about being a project manager. It gives her a sense of control and keeps her busy away from her darkest thoughts.

By the time she crashes in her bed at the end of the day, if she isn't needed at some after-after party for a successful brand launch or campaign activation, she's too tired to think of anything else.

It's a perfect setup if not for the cold mornings where it seems like everyone on earth is in dating except her.

"You can't keep your inner struggles unresolved forever," her friends try to tell her every now and then, to no avail.

She only rolls her eyes and diverts the conversation. The only person who gets to hear her long for love is Seulgi who's known her forever.

"I have a shoot at a studio in Itaewon," Seulgi yells out to her.

"Glad you remembered," Joy manages to yell back, looking at the calendar for the project Seulgi is referring to.

While she isn't known for being the most organized person, Seulgi keeps her commitments well and that's enough for Joy not to lose her mind.


	2. Good old days

Joy is never going to admit it but Seulgi looks really cool when she's serious and super into her work.

That's why she always have random staff swooning over her and trying to give her things like food or her number or offering to wipe off her sweat that's dripping because of the harsh studio lights.

She's not even the model but they attend to her needs like she's a superstar.

Well. She can qualify as a model if she wants to. Her proportions can fool anyone into thinking she's tall after all. What with professional photographers being paid well enough to live, eat, travel, and work out like celebrities.

It's a wonder to Joy why Seulgi still stays with their tiny creative agency. She feels like they only get to work with big brands and top celebrities because they know Seulgi is affiliated with them.

That, and their CEO is trendsetter and master of apparently every art Song Minho.

It's one of those days where the brand they're working with is owned by one of Mino's friends which is why Joy is under a lot of pressure not to screw up.

_"You know, I trust your direction," he told her once._

_It was the first time he ever personally checked into one of her projects and Joy was grateful for her ability to act calm under pressure._

_"If a client ever tells you they don't think something is a good idea, tell them it was my idea."_

_She must have been looking at him like he's crazy with the way he was looking back._

_"...is there something about my hair?" the CEO starts to wonder._

_Joy tries not to laugh. Even his most absurd styles become the latest trend._

_"No, sir. It's just that I really admire your work and you trust me to this level," she finally says. She eases back into her chair._

_"Get used to it," he simply replies. "One day people will come here asking for you the way they come here asking for me or Seul."_

The shoot is close to wrapping up when Mino personally comes over and pats her shoulder for another job well done. He had just finished chatting with his friend and even lent a hand in the creative direction.

Good thing Seulgi was nowhere near stubborn or obnoxious when it comes to her work.

"Trust the professionals," she would always tell Joy.

The box of fried chicken Joy ordered is still hot when Seulgi declares the photoshoot done. A nervous staff member offers to help her pack her equipment, a task Seulgi never wanted to bother anyone with, but she accepted the offer this time. It was past three and she hadn't eaten since setting up early in the morning.

"I know you only rushed over because you're starving and not because you missed me," the project manager whines with a pout to match.

Seulgi had finished her drumstick in three bites when she looks up at her. "Hey. How would I miss you, you were here all day."

Joy shakes her head and shows Seulgi her shaking fingers. "You see this?"

She moves her hands closer to Seulgi's face when she gets no response.

"We were working with IRENE," Joy elaborates when she's sure the superstar's team had exited the studio.

"And you got her autograph, congratulations," Seulgi deadpans. "I don't know why you're so freaked about working with Joohyun unnie like she's pretty and perfect and sculpted by god herself but she's super funny and no fuss!"

The younger girl looks up from her drink and sighs. "I always forget you two are friends. Wait did you just refer to God as a woman?"

"She is god," Seulgi declares, showing her a selfie she took with the actress before they parted ways. "I told you, I know this is your first time working with her but she really respects the craft of the people she works with. You included!"

"...did she say anything good about me?"

"She loves working on campaigns where she feels like she's more than just a face," Seulgi explains. "You nailed it. Those interview questions? Super fresh. Trust me."

Joy tries to hide her flattered expression behind her cup. "Whatever you say. We should really finish our food and get going before the studio closes down on us."

-

Unlike her colleague, Joy's work does not end when a shoot is over. She has to head back to the office and make sure everyone is updated on the next steps for the campaign.

There are emails to read and respond to and deadlines to meet.

By the time she feels satisfied with what she has achieved for the day, the office lights are all shut off. There is only the glow of Joy's monitors and the table lamp illuminating her work planner.

Everyone at the office already knows to not even try to convince her to go home early. It's just the way she operates. Joy has a slight tendency to explode when disturbed and even Seulgi knows not to bother.

"Why are you here?" Joy asks when she hears footsteps across the floor.

"How do you know it's me?"

"I know what Converse sounds like against these tiles even if you walk like a ghost, Kang Seulgi," she states matter-of-factly. "Should I go ahead first or you're done picking up whatever you left in the office this time?"

The photographer sighed, "I didn't forget anything. I just wanted to..."

"Check up on me?" Joy teases, knowing it's not the answer.

"Use the bathroom comfortably."

"Of course."

"Yeah."

Joy laughs. "Don't clog the toilets."

When the older girl walks up to the elevator, Joy pretends she hadn't been waiting for her.

"You've been waiting for meee?" Seulgi says with a grin.

The taller girl shakes her head as the elevator stops on their floor. "I remembered a file I had to send."

"Aww," Seulgi coos. "If you hadn't been maintaining your heartbreak like it was a badge of honor, I'd think you're still the 10th grader who had a big crush on me."

Joy groans about her never letting it go and exits the elevator first. "It must be a huge honor to you considering you have many other fangirls but you're still not over it!"

Seulgi only smiles. They've had this conversation many times before. "Everyone was talking about the pretty transferee, of course I'd be flattered."

"You have a weird thing about not returning people's feelings then getting hurt when they're over you," Joy retorts. It takes a while for Seulgi to respond and Joy had to admit it was a harsh call out.

Seulgi merely shrugs. "The attention is nice but I don't think I'll be able to give anyone what they want from a relationship with me. And breakups are scary! Look at you."

The taller girl only laughs. "Look at me indeed."

Tonight's weather was more forgiving and there weren't as many couples on the bus. The two spent the rest of the commute on lighter topics and meaningless musings. Their odd, quiet way of making up when the banter goes too far always kind of has Joy smiling.

Seulgi breaks her serene thoughts as always.

"We always commute together. Why don't you just move in?"


	3. Someone new

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tiny warning: Brief but non-vulgar mention of sex.

"Move in?" Joy repeats, unable to believe what she was hearing.

Despite her initial shock she was already weighing the pros and the cons. With much of her generous salary going to her younger sisters' college education, the proposal was very tempting.

Rent was no joke. And while her bedroom is literally nothing more than a place to crash at night due to her busy (self-imposed schedule), she does miss having a sense of normal in her life.

Someone earning as much as she is shouldn't be staying in a cramped studio anyway. As the eldest daughter, she always had the sense of responsibility to uphold her family and support their expenses.

The thing is, she has no idea how much rent is in Seulgi's current place and how it would be split.

Hell. It never even occured to her until now that she doesn't even know what Seulgi's apartment looks like.

They're more or less the same. Always out, if not working. Only coming home to sleep and at worst, staying stuck at home only meant a day or two of bingewatching their dramas.

Underneath the surface, Joy muses, they're more alike than she thought.

"What do you think?" Seulgi asks with a grin on her face.

Joy had not been paying attention at all. She was deep in her thoughts, crunching numbers, imagining a life with a real bedroom.

"Sorry, I spaced out there," she mutters.

"See! You're already considering it positively. I'll return to you with a complete proposal and I know your calendar is free at 2pm to 3pm tomorrow."

"Didn't we have a client meeting?" the younger girl asks in shock, pulling her phone out to check her calendar. "Did they cancel? Oh god. That was a big client. What happened?"

The photographer merely smirked. That self-satisfied expression was rare but ominous. "I took care of it already. I was at a café earlier and turns out I knew the guy! Mentioned he contacted our agency, wanted to work with us..."

"Seriously, how do you know everyone..."

Seulgi shrugged. "Anyway he's good to go with the initial details and I already scheduled an email with my notes for tomorrow morning."

Schedule? "Why not just send the email right away?"

"Because you check your emails on the bus every morning and I wanted it to come up on your inbox first thing!"

Joy couldn't help but smile. "You noticed that? I didn't know you paid that much attention."

The photographer looked like she was about to take offense for a hot second but her expression eased right away. "I won't let you distract me from my cause."

She grabs the phone from Joy's hands and schedules the new client meeting for the same time next Tuesday and adds her own agenda to the initial timeslot.

"Very important meeting, 2-3pm, office conference room. Snacks and drinks provided."

-

The email arrived just as they started their morning commute and Seulgi got the schedule right down to the minute. The younger girl didn't even bother to look up from her screen to know her senior was wearing that smug expression again.

Her notes were impressively detailed for a spontaneous meeting at a café and she already had some sketches and mockups attached as a file. She didn't look all put together but Seulgi can be incredibly organized about things she cared about.

"You use a handwriting to text app," Joy observes out loud. The digital handwritten file was in the attachments as well, a less organized version of the text in the email.

It made sense. Seulgi always had a tablet and pen in her satchel because the universe had been so generous when she was born. Not only was she a great photographer, she was also a talented illustrator. You could say she could run a one-man agency if she didn't need a project manager like Joy to keep her on schedule.

Today is warmer than usual and they actually got seats on the bus. If Joy had to stand the entire 7 stops then her knees would have already given out. 

The morning commute gave her enough time to import Seulgi's notes to her apps and plot out the timeline for the project. They successfully wrapped up a few last week so this was a welcome change.

Seulgi was oddly quiet save for a few cheeky observations and her creepily accurate imitations of the announcer voice on the bus. Again the word for today is ominous.

"I think it's kind of skewed that we actually work more than the prescribed work hours when we're paid a fixed salary monthly than when we're paid per hour," the older girl mentions on their way up to their office.

"When I was younger I always wondered what it would be like to not be paid for the hours I worked but for the value I bring," Seulgi continued as Joy agonized over overlapping deadlines in her general calendar.

"I mean at least now I can really say I'm working less hours than I did when I was just starting out but look at you! Labor unions did not sacrifice themselves for you not to enjoy your 8 hours of work, 8 hours of recreation, and 8 hours of rest."

Joy sighed as she finally ironed out the mess in the schedules, "this is my recreation. I love my job."

Seulgi just blinks at her. "Tell me that when you don't spend your first few waking hours stressing out."

"Sooyoungie," the older girl sighs as they reach the younger girl's desk. She takes Joy's cheeks into her palms and makes sure their eyes meet. "You are very beautiful and even your eyebags are cute but the 'haven't slept for days' look starts to get unsexy when it goes on for too long."

It must look funny to anyone who could see them right now, what with Joy actually being taller than her senior, but standing there she's just praying Seulgi won't notice her face getting a little hot.

What was that for? Surely it was just embarassment and not... something else.

"I thought you were finally going to kiss," a coworker teased as they passed.

"TEN!" Joy exclaimed, stepping back right away. "You're here early?"

"I just sent out the graphics for that restaurant for client approval," he replies with a big smile. "I know it usually goes through you first but I have you BCC'd."

Joy sighs in relief and smiles. "Thank you. I'll pick up a coffee for you when I return from lunch. What's your usual order?"

-

The office is buzzing with busy bees moving in and out of the office to finish their work. It was finally Friday and no one wanted to work the weekend so their efforts are doubled.

Everything smells like everyone's preferred source of caffeine, mostly iced coffees as they return from lunch. Joy drops off Ten's drink at his desk and he manages to keep her mind off worm for a while with some light conversation.

She appreciates this little pockets of normal in her daily routine.

"Are you trying to come for Rapunzel or something?" Ten jokes just before she lets her return to her desk.

Joy hasn't even noticed her hair was already way up to her ass. She was growing out her bangs and had not cut her hair in forever.

"We're connected to the best stylists in the city, you should definitely try something new for a change!"

She laughed and waved on her way out, not wanting to say anything about his hair. She wasn't quite a fan of the length or color but she didn't feel they were close enough to joke about that.

"Sooyoung, 40 minutes." Seulgi reminded her so strictly you would forget she was meeting Joy for a personal agenda.

We'll see about that.

-

Joy was never late but Seulgi was always early. The photographer was leaning against the doorframe, chatting with one of the apprentices assigned to their agency for the next two weeks.

As a way to nurture new talents, their agency linked up with a few others in the city for a rotational program.

Apprentices, as they were called, worked for two weeks in a partner agency. They're usually assigned to smaller projects that would finish within that time frame.

When they're not working on that one project, they're free to go around and learn more from the experts themselves.

It goes without saying that an apprenticeship at their agency is much-coveted. The program didn't exist until half a year after Joy started, but she already learned so much from the team that she didn't sign up to participate.

Since the program is held every 3 months, it was only their 2nd batch of apprentices but you can see Seulgi is super into it.

"Excuse me. Seulgi, 5 minutes?"

Joy hated to break up really good conversations. It felt like she was taking away the opportunity to learn from someone but Seulgi set the appointment herself anyway.

The apprentice apologizes for holding Seulgi up and excuses herself.

"Look what you did to the poor kid," Seulgi teases as the door closes behind them.

"I'll apologize and schedule a mentoring session over coffee or lunch," Joy mumbles, embarrassed. She didn't ever want to come off as rude or leave a bad impression on anyone.

Her senior frowns. "Hey, don't be too hard on yourself. You're only a year older than Yooa. I'm sure you'd make up and get along quickly."

"Sounds like she's extra interested in learning from you."

"She's cute, right?" Seulgi replies excitedly. "Pretty kid, brimming with energy. Ah. I missed when I had that zest for life."

Joy laughs. "If that wasn't a lawsuit waiting to happen I'd think you'd want to date her."

The older girl's expression changed quickly as she switched the projector on. "I. Do. Not. Date."

Joy sighs, trying to ignore the sense of relief that courses through her. She even manages to joke. "Alright, eternal blessed virgin."

The older girl clears her throat, mumbling something about how that's not true.

The thought of Seulgi as someone who has dated or even as someone who has had sex hasn't occured to Joy in forever. She feels slightly betrayed she never knew but her senior speaks before she can voice her curiosity or... is that disappointment she feels?

"But that's a discussion for another day," Seulgi continues sternly. "It's time to make my case on why you, Park Sooyoung, should move in with me, Kang Seulgi."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longest update yet! I'm really excited about where this story is heading and I hope you are too.


	4. Good news

The presentation was actually impressive. If it was a pitch for a client, they would definitely close the deal. It was an odd approach to invite someone to literally change the way they live but Joy would be lying if she said she wasn't convinced.

Seulgi had presented the problem: Joy has been paying rent for a studio apartment in the past year while sending most of her salary back to her parents for her sisters' university tuition and living expenses.

She lives mostly in their office and crashes at the apartment to sleep. Gets up in the morning, gets breakfast. Seulgi who doesn't live too far joins her morning commute.

It's barely a life when all she does is work and crash. Seulgi wanted to show her what work-life balance looks like.

In an ideal world, the next part of the presentation said, Joy would be able to have time for things she likes and take care of herself.

"When was the last time you went shopping?" Seulgi asked at one point. "You always look great but people aren't seeing your full potential."

"You don't date," Joy points out, arguing that this coming from Seulgi doesn't have much bearing.

Seulgi redirected her to the point: Joy has not been giving herself time. This is not even about the heartbreak she refuses to properly process.

She's just been acting this whole year like the company was more important than herself.

"Consider this an intervention," Seulgi announced as she went into the details of her proposal.

Joy knew Seulgi was paid handsomely but she had no idea she has been living on a deposit-based 2-bedroom apartment on the dandier side of their neighborhood.

Until recently, the spare bedroom functioned as her home studio where she did work for both the agency and her freelance work.

"And this is where the good news comes in!" the older girl shares excitedly.

The next slide was one of those renovated warehouses in Seongsu-do, followed by 3D renders of what the space is going to look like when it's done.

"Mino rented this place and transformed it into a gallery and studio. There's gonna be a coffee shop and a space for small performances too, you'll love it."

Joy is happy for her, but she asked her to elaborate on what it means for Seulgi.

"It means," she clicks onto the next slide. "I don't need a home studio anymore."

"Is this an employee perk or you're renting out a studio space..?" Joy asked, still skeptical.

The older girl let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "I will tell you the details next time because you're distracting me but long story short, you are now looking at a cofounder."

God. She always knew Seulgi was ambitious and talented but she didn't know she had it in her.

"I'm so happy for you!" the younger one exclaimed, getting up as quickly as possible to give Seulgi a hug.

"Thank you," Seulgi responds, sounding all choked up. She has a habit of crying when she's too happy so Joy quickly pulls away to wipe away her tears.

"You keep asking me to buy you dessert when you have that kind of money?" Joy teases her right away. "At this point if I move in with you I shouldn't be paying rent."

"Hey! In my defense, you've been very happy to buy me dessert and it helped me save up for this."

"I should get a cut of the profits then."

Seulgi merely laughed and shook her head. "Sit down, we haven't gotten to the good part yet!"

The overall plan was even more impressive. The freed up room was nearly as big as Joy's whole studio and she's free to decorate it however she wants.

They had to share a bathroom but Seulgi had a kitchen with all the fundamentals (although neither of them can cook that well) and the living room was spacious, equipped with a TV and some gaming consoles.

"So I don't pay monthly rent," Seulgi said quietly, as if anyone could hear outside of the soundproof room.

"You have a deposit-based apartment," Joy interpreted.

"It's a two-year lease, yeah..."

Just how much money did Seulgi make? She couldn't even begin to imagine the amount but more than that, it was starting to dawn on her that she didn't even know her closest senior that well.

It's not that she was hiding anything from her on purpose. Seulgi had always been so private or sometimes, she just neglects to mention things.

Trying to keep her voice steady, Joy asked, "Okay but I imagine I still have to pay you, right?"

"It's a yes, then?" the older girl countered, bearing one of those smiles where her eyes completely disappear.

"Only if you help me sort things out with my landlord and help me when I pack up and move in?"

Seulgi sighed and clicked her laptop shut. "Alright. We'll get everything arranged over the next week."

-

Although she was rarely there, Joy had grown attached to the tiny studio apartment.

It was the first time she could call a place her own after moving out of her ex's apartment and it gave her a sense of independence.

For once, she felt like her life was in her hands and not at the mercies of the universe.

Her mom rings in around the same time every evening. These calls ground her and keep her going and if there's anyone she'll willingly lay down all pretense around, it's her mom.

The call goes on as usual with updates about Joy's parents and how her sisters are going, if there's anything they need although Joy usually offers first.

"Oh, mom."

"Yes, our princess?"

It still makes her snicker every time. "My lease is ending in a few months and- no. No, I'm not moving back home. Everything is going great at work. You see, the CEO even praised me personally the other day."

"Of course, you're my daughter," her mom responds smugly.

"I'm moving out sooner than expected," Joy explains. "Seulgi unnie. You remember her, right?"

"Ah, yes. That ball of happiness you have for a workmate."

"Exactly. So things are going really great for her and she has a spare bedroom after clearing out a room she used as a home studio."

"Sooyoung-ah," her mom interjects, alarm apparent in her voice. "Is this what I think it is?"

"Mom! No. We're not like that. She's been a really good senior to me, you know?"

"Ah. Yes. I remember you found out she put a good word in for you when she found out you did an interview."

Joy hummed in affirmation. "I was surprised she even remembered me, considering she graduated ahead and we moved from Seoul to Jeju."

"You're more remarkable than you think, my baby," her mother says warmly. "Okay, let me know if you need anything when you move. You sure about this?"

She didn't even have to think about it again. "Yeah, I am. I'll be paying less than I would be right now and we'll split the bills too. So it's not gonna be like I owe her debt of gratitude or something."

Even through the phone she can hear her mother's smile. "Alright, Sooyoung-ah. You're smart. I trust you."

"Thank you, mom. Hey, I'm going to bed now."

"One last thing!" her mom adds quickly.

"Hmm?"

"I'm happy you have someone like Seulgi."

Joy smiles. "Me too."

"I won't mind if you... you know..."

"Mom!"

"I didn't mean to look but I saw your old diaries and I know that you-"

"Mom," Joy interjects sternly. "Good night."

Her mom only laughs at the other end of the line. "I'm just saying, I can see why she has girls all over her. Okay. Good night!"

"Good night, mom," Joy mutters.

Hopefully a nice shower before bed would help get rid of the burning blush on her cheeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kudos! Exciting things up ahead.


	5. Start

They were lucky the following week was uneventful at work. All the major projects were wrapped up and rolled out. The magazines they worked with were also all published that week.

Even Joy got to go home early most days and Seulgi would follow her to her studio apartment after dinner.

If they were feeling lazy, they ordered delivery and shared the meal while sitting on the floor in front of Joy's small TV.

They had to take inventory of what to bring and not to bring especially there ought to be duplicates.

Joy was considering to sell the TV but Seulgi had convinced her to keep it in her room, they could arrange to have it connected to cable.

The younger girl was pretty sure Seulgi always knows how to sort out anything.

The first time Seulgi stepped into the studio apartment, she didn't have much to say except it did feel like it wasn't "lived in".

The small space reminded her of the early days of her career, which was unfortunate if compared to Joy's.

Her two sources of income, photography and illustration, were at the mercies of cheapskates promising "exposure" if she promised to do it for less.

Building her portfolio through her best work from small projects and personal projects with friends, she worked her way up to a respectable position in the industry.

One of her most popular early works is a "for fun" photoshoot with Irene, back when the actress was taking small roles in CFs. 

Most of them weren't paid. She did them "for exposure", of course.

A scouting agent came across the iconic photo on Instagram and now her friend is running double-digit ratings even on cable TV.

With news outlets contacting her about the photo, she got her name out and met the right people to get her to where she is now.

There was nothing more satisfying than the day she can finally respond "I have clients who pay more" when she was hit with the usual "I know people who charge less".

Not long after, she met Mino, started working at the agency, and eventually she influenced hiring decisions with her input.

Which leads us to Joy getting hired and no matter how much of a big shot Seulgi is now (a matter Joy still hasn't fully grasped or realized), she keeps her feet on the ground.

She was never the type to judge anyone for anything, bringing a large wave of relief to a much worried Joy.

Here is one of the industry's most sought-after photographers, eating takeout on the floor with her (don't tell anyone!) favorite junior.

They were pretty much done packing everything save for enough clothes to last Joy the rest of the week and some stuff that came with the apartment.

Seulgi worked her charm like magic, personally visiting the real estate agent earlier in the week to negotiate a favorable break-of-lease for Joy's apartment while adding the younger girl to her lease.

Even if they were good friends, it was better to have the terms written and notarized.

"It really feels weird sitting in a nearly empty apartment, it didn't even feel like this when I just moved in," Joy comments during a commercial break.

Seulgi looks up from her bowl and smiles. "It's been years but I still remember how it felt like the day before I finally moved out of mine."

"You cried?"

The older girl laughed. "You know it."

"So this is what it's like to have a roommate, huh?" Joy says in a low voice, mostly to herself.

She hasn't even moved in yet but with Seulgi around nearly every day, she already felt significantly better.

They worked well together in the small chores they shared while packing or cleaning up after meals, even if sometimes Seulgi's hearing or eyesight failed her.

The two even got to talk about things unrelated to work and were now catching up on a drama they both had just started watching.

If Joy was starting to feel like she didn't know Seulgi as well as she thought she did, the past week helped make up for it.

"I'm sorry for asking," Seulgi chimes in, as if the sounds she heard had only just now registered as words with meaning in her head. "But didn't you live with your ex?"

"Don't apologize," Joy reassures her. "I mean as part of the intervention I should probably start sorting out my thoughts and feelings about my ex."

Seulgi simply smiles and nods in relief.

"Yes, we lived together. But living with a significant other is different from having a good friend as a roommate."

"How so?"

Joy paused to take a long look at the other girl. "You've never had a serious relationship or at least one that reached that point?"

The photographer shakes her head.

"Huh, shame."

"Excuse me!?"

"I mean," the younger girl interjects, her posture clearly defensive. "You're really great. I don't see why you've never had a serious relationship!"

"Okay, okay. But I just... it just never occured to me, you know? I got really busy and now most of my peers are getting married and having kids."

Joy clutched her heart and sighed, "Ah. Kang Seulgi never experienced the beauty of young love."

Seulgi put on a smug expression, "You're not exactly the best advocate with your heartbreak and all."

"Doesn't mean I didn't experience some of the best times of my life back then," the taller girl replies.

She watches Seulgi's expression soften, wonders if there's more to her than she lets show. "Anyway my question?"

"Yeah. Your question. Right." Joy laughs at herself before continuing. "Living with a roommate, especially with a really good friend, there can be arguments and all but you don't have to be in each other's business all the time."

"Whereas living with your lover..." Joy continues, "You sleep in the same bed, share a lot of the same stuff, boundaries are blurred. It can get tense pretty quickly."

Seulgi nods in understanding and starts helping Joy clean up after their meal.

"But Sooyoung..."

"Hmm?"

"The sex... is it every night?"

\- - -

Last night's hangout and packing session turned out to be full of banter and chasing Seulgi around with disposable chopsticks as she asked her questions that made her turn red.

It ended with them laughing on the floor, lying there exhausted, before Seulgi lifted her off the floor so she can wash up and rest.

She would have jokingly asked her to stay the night if Seulgi had not drained her of her dignity with all the teasing she had to endure.

The office was a bit bubbly and energetic for a Friday but the creative complex finally became publicly known among the team.

Joy was tasked to polish the press release and have it pushed out in the afternoon.

The kit included previews of the place, some of which Seulgi already showed her, and professional-looking profile shots of cofounders Mino and Seulgi.

"I heard they discussed this from the very beginning," Ten whispered as she typed away on her laptop.

Her little favor became the two same-aged peers' own quiet tradition. They took turns buying each other iced coffee and stuck around each other's stations for some industry chitchat (some work-related, others personal).

"When this agency started and Seulgi heard about the plan," the graphic artist elaborated. "She offered to take a slightly smaller salary so the difference could be invested into the complex."

Joy hums to herself and considers it, "Definitely something she would do."

"And yet she still has so much money," Ten mused.

The project manager can only laugh. "Can you read through this quickly for me and tell me if it's alright?"

"My Korean might not be up to par with your vocabulary," he warned. He sounded so fluent in conversation, Joy sometimes forgot he came from Thailand.

"Yep, looks great!" he remarks not too long after, to Joy's satisfaction.

The article was meant to be a quick read. The cofounders had a few interviews scheduled where they'd share more.

"I need to head back and finish something," Ten said. "But before I go. You two are close, right?"

"Yep. I knew about this before you guys did," Joy boasts.

The boy smiled ominously. "And you're roommates now. Damn, you leveled up!"

"She's my friend," she whispered harshly. "Stop making it sound like I'm only using her to get things."

"Oh," he laughs. "It's not that at all. I know you work hard. But..."

"WHAT?" This, on top of the approaching deadline for the press release, had her close to snapping.

"I didn't say anything!" he sing-songs on his way to his desk.

If Seulgi hadn't drained all her will to fight back against teasing, she would have already gone after him.

Joy takes a big sip from her water bottle before giving the press kit one last glance. She makes a small, excited sound as she hits send.

The little celebration earns the attention of YooA, the apprentice, and the two both look away quickly after making eye contact.

Remembering her blunder from last time, Joy gathers the scraps left of her dignity and walks on over with a sincere apology.

"I didn't mean to cut your conversation off rudely," the project manager adds.

"Oh, not a problem at all!" YooA responds. "I had fun talking to Seulgi un- I mean, Seulgi sunbaenim. I really like her, you know? NOT like that I mean she's really talented and well-known for that so it's an honor? To talk to her and... I'm sorry."

Joy flashes her a sincere smile, wondering if her high school freshman self was just as embarrassing around her ex-crush. She understands, but it takes her a while to stop her jealous instinct from telling the poor kid that Seulgi doesn't date.

That's how she's always been, right? A little jealous even when it comes to friends.

"We're due for a 1-on-1 before your apprenticeship officially ends," Joy explains. "I'm glad yours got extended by a week because you got to learn more and honestly I got so caught up in my schedules."

"Oh, that sounds great!" the apprentice responds, all smiles. "When's that?"

Joy smiles and sends her an invite to her email address after sorting out the details. She had a favorite place that has good pasta and YooA was just polite enough to agree.

"So we'll talk about your time here and any questions you may have," Joy says as she sets expectations for their 1-on-1

The girl looks up at her expectantly.

"Including personal ones," the older between the two finally says with a laugh. "It doesn't have to be formal."

"I think we can end up good friends, if that's alright."

Joy gives her a warm smile and nods. With her impending move-in, a new chapter of her life was starting. She could definitely use more friends.

"See you then!"


	6. Clarity

Joy quickly learns that Seulgi goes out a lot. She never tells her where or who with, and the younger girl figured it's best to stay out of her roommate's business, but it was one thing she never expected.

The older girl would return right before the buses stopped running. She would quietly take her shoes off at the foyer (her massive collection of Nike and Converse was a different issue) and shoot Joy with a variation of a very disappointed "why are you still up working".

Seulgi understands her perfectionist tendencies, but the photographer has threatened to take her work laptop and lock it away for the night so the project manager can improve her work-life balance.

"You would have to start coming home earlier, then," Sooyoung jokes after a week of the same playful threats.

Two can play at this game.

Except it looks like Seulgi isn't having fun. Her expression softens and she has that stupid little panicked look on her face.

"Sooyoung, I promise I'm not avoiding you," she begins. "We still have lunch together a lot of the time and commute together on the way to work and even as roommates we're still individuals with our own lives and interests."

Joy would laugh but she's almost offended. Did Seulgi really think she's that kind of person?

"I know that," the project manager answers. "But if you're going out with someone, you should probably introduce them to me at this point."

She's not jealous, she swears. Joy even has an amused expression on her face. Seulgi would freak out and go on another monologue about how she does not date but there's an incomprehensible feeling deep inside her saying she's not ready if the answer is otherwise.

The older girl breaks into the monologue anyway. Somehow Sooyoung is relieved, more than she feels she should be.

Is this..?

"-and most of the time I'm not even out with anyone!"

The sudden rise in her voice snaps Joy out of the vortex her thoughts was starting to become.

"Alright, alright," Joy laughs, although it sounds a bit hollow. "I believe you."

Seulgi doesn't lie, at least never deliberately in an attempt to manipulate others. White lies, she admits, can be necessary.

"Invite me sometimes," the younger girl says quietly, after several rounds of answering variations of "really? You believe me? You know I would never lie to you."

How true can that be?

"I can bring you to my favorite café tomorrow," Seulgi offers.

She's been standing in the middle of the living room since this all started and she only actually moved towards Joy now.

It's not that Seulgi lies. It's just that there are a lot of things she doesn't think are necessary to talk about.

Like the fact she likes commuting, but she actually owns a car. A year of working together and Sooyoung only found out about this pretty little thing when Seulgi changed their plans.

"You own a Mini Cooper," Joy says with a straight face.

It's a surprise, definitely, but with the amount of things Seulgi refused or forgot to talk about she has to wave this off under "of course she does".

Seulgi seems to realize she's never told her about it.

"I'm not the best driver," she explains. "I know I can get better with practice but commuting is good in a lot of ways! Seoul has a really good public transportation system. If only it was 24/7."

Sooyoung shrugs as she gets into the passenger seat. "If it was 24/7 I doubt I'd be seeing you that much."

The driver frowns as she starts the engine. "You're still upset about that, honey?"

If Joy didn't know her any better she would think the older girl was serious. Sooyoung has a tendency to do these little skits and it was a surprise Seulgi was the one initiating it.

She plays along and crosses her arms across her chest. "Of course. For what reason are we living together if you're always-"

Sooyoung doesn't plan the way her expression changes when Seulgi places a hand on her thigh (nothing too scandalous or bold, just a bit above the knee) and looks at her softly as if she means it.

"I'm really sorry," the older girl whispers. "I need to treat you better."

Now, Sooyoung has heard this all before from someone who failed to do so. But this is just pretend, right? She can play along and acts like she believes it. Not that she doesn't think Seulgi would actually start making more of an effort to be good to her. As a friend.

Without thinking, Sooyoung places a hand over the one on her thigh and loops their fingers together. "Alright."

The way the older girl is looking at her has her thinking that she doesn't hate the idea of... God. Seulgi is still holding her gaze and someone has to break it before Sooyoung does something stupid.

(Like what? Kiss her? She's a friend! She doesn't like her. She's over it. She's just yearning for the comforting arms of someone who knows what it's like to be hurt and Seulgi has no real dating experience. Right? Oh but what does she really know about her...)

"Let's go?" the older girl asks, squeezing her hand.

Sooyoung hates that she doesn't hate it at all. She has to process her heartbreak before her misplaced emotions ruin anything.

Before it ruins this friendship that, after all its revelations, might not have been that solid in the first place.

"Yeah, let's go."

Seulgi smiles at her warmly and releases Sooyoung's hand. Suddenly the older girl is stretching across her, very very close, and Sooyoung tries to lean as far back into her seat as possible.

Maybe they need to turn the airconditioner a bit colder?

The driver was only fastening Joy's seatbelt. Of course. Joy has to compose herself before returning the bright smile that just cutely said "safety first!"

The first 15 minutes of the drive was silent save for them briefly discussing who was in charge of the music that night.

For once, Joy gives up control and lets Seulgi decide on the perfect playlist for night drives.

The playlist is literally called "the perfect playlist for night drives".

And she's not wrong. The songs make her feel like she doesn't have to be responsible for anything.

If they were in the countryside, she would have already opened the sunroof to look out of it and sing from the top of her lungs.

After two hours of driving around, with Seulgi showing off her old university campus and Joy doing the same somewhere in between, they find a parking spot by the Han River and devour a convenience store meal.

Sooyoung forgets the awkwardness of their moment in the parking lot and relaxes against Seulgi's shoulder. They look out into the water, both on their 2nd beers by now, and start talking about things they realized they have never talked about.

Things like Seulgi's childhood. About the dog she raised as a kid but also the pet chicks she would crush crickets for. Her parents' humble peach orchard and how their family would go for hikes at the hill near their home.

Sooyoung learns Seulgi's older brother has a bit of a complex because her parents doted on her so much. Seulgi learns more about Joy as an older sister, not just as the responsible eldest daughter.

"Tell me about your dating history," the younger girl dares to ask on her third and last can of beer.

Seulgi is red and embarrassing and very cute because she drinks too fast and has been sipping at a can of cola instead.

"It's true I never had any serious relationships," she starts. "If there was any I think I would have already told you."

The younger girl pouts. "Tell me about the not serious ones then. Tell me about bad dates or unrequited love or one night stands."

"I don't have a lot of experience with liking people."

"You're the one people chase," Joy says, like it's fact. "People like you and approach you first."

"I told you. I spent my early 20s trying to make it in the industry and I did. Now I'm 27 and while a bunch of my friends are self-declared non-marriagists, one of my closest high school friends is getting married on Sunday."

"Congratulations to them. Would you consider yourself a... non-marriagist?"

Seulgi shrugs. "I just... I have never been that interested in dating. I never got the hype around it because it sounds like a lot of hassle. But if there's a good person then... maybe."

There's silence for a while after Sooyoung nods. Her mom told her she doesn't need to get married, but she's not against the idea of settling down and having kids either.

"I know I'd want to be a mom," the older girl continues. "A biological child or an adopted one, doesn't matter. But my parents have been so good to me and it makes me want to raise a child."

"You, a mom?" Sooyoung asks, laughing gently but not with malice. Seulgi needs a little help to stay on track but with the way she takes care of others, the younger girl thinks she can be good at parenting.

Seulgi nods, not offended by the reaction. "I mean they're definitely going to grow up to have their own preferences and opinions but isn't it cute if my baby and I had matching shoes?"

"YOU are a baby. God. You're so cute," Joy says before she can catch herself.

The older girl laughs, more at herself than at what Joy said. "Ah, seriously. Why does everyone say I'm cute when I'm drunk..."

Sooyoung lets the both of them believe it's just that.

"Hey, we need to start sobering up if we want to get home before sunrise."

Their positions have shifted, Seulgi leaning comfortably on Joy now. The photographer's non-response is a little snore and calmer, steady breathing.

They stay like that for a while, the taller girl drinking more water in an attempt to sober up. If Seulgi doesn't wake up within the next hour, she has to channel whatever driving knowledge she has to get them back home.

Joy checks the time on her phone and finds a missed call from her mom. It's a bit past 11 but she attempts to call back just to let her mom know she's alright.

"I was out with Seulgi unnie, I'm sorry," she says as soon as her mom picks up. "Why are you still up?"

"I slept early but I woke up. Thank you for calling back, still. Are you having fun?"

She looks at the girl sleeping on her shoulder and smiles. "Unnie is still a weak drinker, so she's taking a little nap on my shoulder right now. We're by the Han River."

Her mom doesn't fail to tease her a bit. "Take care of her and be on your best behavior. Make sure you get home safe, princess."

For the sake of the sleeping girl, Sooyoung decides against yelping out in protest.

"We will, mom. I love you."

"I love you. Tell my in-law I said hi."

"What in-law..." Joy mutters. Her mom ends the call before she realized what she meant and she clenches her fist instead of yelling like she usually would.

The photographer shifts a bit before sliding down into Sooyoung's lap instead.

"Sooyoung," she mumbles. The other girl wonders if she's awake or just sleep talking.

"What is it, unnie?"

Seulgi giggles, eyes still closed. "You're amazing."

The taller girl would have to drive them back herself, doesn't she?

Seulgi is a little heavier than she expected, but awake enough to use her legs while Sooyoung guided her towards the passenger seat.

"Where are your keys?" Joy asks, unable to find them in her bag and it wasn't chained to her belt loops either.

Seulgi pats her own butt and Sooyoung is bewildered until she realized Seulgi meant her back pocket. With skinny jeans on, putting a hand in there meant feeling the other girl's ass even if she didn't intend to.

"I don't mind," the older girl says, as if reading her mind.

These pockets are deeper than she thought, so she spends a little more time in there than expected.

She successfully retrieves the keys and buckles Seulgi into the passenger seat while trying to understand what the photographer meant when she asked "is it nice?"

Seulgi is still giggling to herself while Sooyoung is starting the engine.

"Sooyoung-ah," she starts again.

"Yes, unnie. You have a nice ass," the younger girl deadpans, having realized what the question was about.

The older girl only laughs again. "Thank you, I worked hard for it. Don't crash my car."

Joy opens the sunroof and lowers the volume for their ride back. The other girl fell asleep again, but was thankfully awake enough once they successfully parked in the basement.

"You remembered my parking spot?"

The taller girl locks the car with the remote and tosses the keys back to Seulgi. "It's my job to remember things for people."

"Right."

They lean against the elevator walls, exhausted but not in a bad way after all that.

"Unnie."

"Yes?"

Sooyoung sighs and decides against what she wanted to say.

"What is it?"

"Remember to brush your teeth and wash up before going to bed."

Seulgi reaches over to hit her arm. "You didn't have to remind me, idiot."


	7. Someone who tries their best

The office is very much alive today, which means Joy is very busy today.

Mino supplied bagels and cream cheese while Seulgi ordered a round of coffee for everyone at the office, but not without occassion. 

Today, the studio was finally opening to the public.

Along with the rest of the de facto PR team, Sooyoung closed her eyes and prayed as she anticipated the 9AM press release roll out on news sites.

Magazines already posted about their private tour of the place yesterday and the team exceeded their social media engagement goals within less than 12 hours.

The first few opening hours will be exclusive to the first 30 on their waitlist and the team was relieved they managed to hire and train baristas on time.

No one wanted to relive their university days as a part-timer occassionally spilling drinks because of their own self-depravation.

Joy excused herself and told the team she had to get to the place or else Mino would have her head.

The traffic was forgiving. Sooyoung thanked her mother's prayers for her quick commute. She didn't even have to hire a taxi.

The former warehouse was large but inviting. They fitted the place with beautiful varnished wood while maintaining the industrial vibes of most of its exterior.

It was a short walk from a few bus stops and walking distance from the train station. The renovated exterior commanded attention from the corner where it stood and had just the right amount of plants to make it look alive.

Mino is the first person to greet her, waving with one arm behind him. Their friends, industry experts and some celebrities, were starting to fill the place.

Sooyoung thanks her 7am self for having half a mind to put on a more glamorous makeup look. She didn't get a chance to see Seulgi off. Irene—Seulgi's Joohyun unnie—had booked her a hair and makeup appointment with her usual salon.

The actress comes into view first, dressed in her functional yet flirty look. She has photographers turning their cameras to her immediately but an usher reminds them to wait for the official photo wall.

It takes her a while to find Seulgi and no one could blame her. She came in looking so different. Her whole look today was jaw-dropping, to say the least.

She had a full face of makeup on, a real upgrade from her usual "no makeup" makeup look. The dramatic eye makeup brought out the cat-like charm, balanced with a neutral lip.

The outfit was just as alluring. The photographer wore a cropped blazer over a cropped tube top and trousers that accentuated her hip-to-waist ratio, the pants following the curve of her—

Sooyoung should not be staring.

She blinks back into full awareness and Seulgi is looking at her, wearing that smug expression not everyone really gets to see.

Without being dramatic, Seulgi looks like one of those girls who can get anything they want if they pouted just right. Except, of course, she worked hard for everything she has.

"Your jaw is hanging, sweetie," she hears a voice whisper into her left ear.

Joy turns quickly to find a smirking Irene Bae to her side.

"I guess my plan is working," the actress says with the same expression.

What plan?

"Go on, say hi to your roommate," Irene urges. She's giddy and Joy does not feel good about it.

When she looks back at Seulgi, she's surrounded by magazine editors and artists trying to get interviews before the opening program.

"We start in 10 minutes," she says as soon as her eyes meet the photographer's gaze. She doesn't expect the eye contact would make her gasp.

Suddenly, she's grateful Seulgi doesn't look like this everyday.

(Not that the older girl is not pretty even in the morning, when she walks out of her room as she tames her hair into a bun and makes herself a quick breakfast.

It's not like Sooyoung doesn't see her toned stomach on the days she wears a loose cropped tee and it rides up as she reaches for the cupboard. Or her legs when she wears nothing but an oversized tee to bed.)

God. Sooyoung really needs to get a grip.

She promptly reminds herself of an excerpt from an article she read the other day.

Kim Minji wrote, "We need to rethink what we mean when we say 'I want to date', when what we really need is a meal with a friend, sex, masturbation, or a new hobby.

How many times have you mistaken your complex desires to be cherished as 'I want to date', because of society's myth that love solves everything?"

(She's yet to acknowledge that being helplessly attracted to your sexy friend is a whole different thing from having a soft spot for someone who showed you kindness in your darkest days.)

An intern gently taps her shoulder and reminds her the program is soon to start. Her easily started nature should be common knowledge because it looks like she scared the intern when she got scared.

Right. She's here to emcee the program.

Ask anyone in the room and they'll agree she's a headturner too. A beautiful dress hugged her figure and showed just the right amount of skin. The accessories she was wearing are eye-catching, but spectators would definitely be looking at how her necklace leads their eyes down her plunging neckline.

Tastefully flirty, if she would describe it herself. She's proud of the way some people are looking at her, fashion editors and influencers complimenting her as she makes her way to the podium.

"You look amazing," Seulgi whispers as she takes the space beside Sooyoung.

The younger girl kind of hopes she was just imagining the way Seulgi looked at her, very pleased, or the way her voice was lower than usual.

Other than that, the older girl looks proud. Her interventions aka kidnapping Joy after work to go shopping at Hongdae or Cheongdam, whichever she had the mood for, were working.

"Look at yourself," Joy responds. "You have everyone starstruck."

"Even you?"

"Yes," Sooyoung says, exaggerating a defeated tone.

"More than your first encounter with Joohyun unnie?"

Joy looks away when biting her cheek doesn't tame her reaction. "Yes."

Seulgi laughs. "Good. That was the plan."

Seriously. What plan?

They moved closer to the other staff as Mino delivered his keynote speech about the concept of the place.

Something about a free space for artists, opening a path in gratitude for those who in turn paved one for people like him and Seulgi.

The café and performance space was added to encourage more spectators. The two wanted to introduce more people to the up and coming artists of their time, and attracting people who weren't creators was part of it.

"I haven't eaten," Seulgi immediately says when they hear the tell-tale rumble of her stomach. "Too nervous."

"Seulgi unnie."

"What-"

Sooyoung laughs as she pushes a piece of candy into her roommate's mouth, but stops as soon as she felt the older girl lightly suck on her index finger on its way out.

She couldn't even express her surprise as the coil in her gut competed for her attention.

Can they give her the right Kang Seulgi back? This woman who's standing with her right now is deranged.

"Grab one of the mini sandwiches," Sooyoung mumbles once she composed herself.

Saved by the bell, Mino ends his speech right then and Joy moves back to the podium to deliver her spiels.

Grace under pressure, she tells herself.

"Before we proceed with the presentation from our cofounder Kang Seulgi, we would like to call on the stage..."

No way.

The emcee hopes no one caught her pause a little too long.

"A producer and singer-songwriter who is finally ready to step into the spotlight, the creative mind behind top hits loved in recent years, Wendy Shon."

The short-haired singer smiled at her politely as they crossed paths.

You see... Wendy Shon. Son Seungwan.

She's the girl who left Sooyoung so torn up over a year ago.

She remembers why as soon as Seungwan starts singing. Her voice captivates the entire room, all eyes on her even as she wears a simple but elegant dress.

If we were being honest, Sooyoung still kind of believes there is no one in the world who could treat her better than Seungwan can.

She is a literal angel on earth, courteous and kind even in the worst situations. She gave her everything even as artists from major labels started singing the songs she wrote, even as the profession demanded more time of her.

Young and naive Sooyoung was not so strong. The pressures of her last year in university and uncertain future made her feel so small compared to her then-girlfriend's skyrocketing success.

She became more distant and felt incapable of giving back all Seungwan was willing and ready to give her.

Sooyoung still thinks the breakup was her fault.

Even if Seungwan repeatedly told her that it wasn't, that life was just taking them to different places.

And even if it hurt, Sooyoung knows Seungwan meant well when she decided not to prolong their agony.

(If life was pulling them in different directions, why are they both here?)

She looks away when Seungwan—Wendy—accidentally makes eye contact at the part of the song that hurts the most.

"So she's finally releasing that song," she whispers.

The program says Joy still has a few minutes until she's needed at the podium again. She makes a quick trip to the restroom to collect herself, quickly downing the bottle of water she took from a waiter on the way there.

She's not even mad at Seungwan or life or whoever invited her beloved ex-girlfriend.

As her breath steadies in the annoyingly beautiful bathroom stall, she realizes she's the one who's prolonging her suffering all along.

How can she hate Seungwan? She only wanted what was best for them both then.

It's just strange for her to reappear right now. Where Joy was expecting to feel resentment or longing, she only felt shame.

And somehow, like she's wasted so much time.

She walks into Seulgi as soon as she makes her way out of the restroom. The older girl grabs her by the forearms and looked at her with much worry.

"So our emcee went missing and now Korea's top actress is up there thanking our sponsors."

Sooyoung blinks at her, embarassed. "Aren't you up next?"

"Yeah, but you disappeared so I asked Joohyun unnie to buy me a little time. You got me worried."

"I'm glad neither of us is a celebrity because we'll definitely get the press talking if they saw us," Joy tries to joke. They both take half a step back after realizing they were in a rather intimate embrace.

"Any press is good press," the older girl responds, wiping the smile off her face when she realizes Joy isn't smiling. "Are you okay? Did something come up? If you have a family emergency I can—"

"My ex is here." She spoke so fast the words mixed together.

Seulgi is visibly surprised, looking around to see who it could possibly be. "Well, you never told me about this special person. I would have taken them off the guest list if their presence made you uncomfortable."

"You would?"

The photographer nods. "Anything for you." With the look on her face, she means it.

"They're a rather important person," Joy simply says.

Her expression must be clear that she's not ready to say more, so Seulgi only says "more important than me?"

Seulgi smiles when Joy hits her playfully.

The two make it back to the podium just in time. Irene pinches Seulgi's exposed skin as they walked past each other, the actress bearing a gracious smile.

Sooyoung makes a mental note to find a way to properly apologize to Korea's top actress and explain the whole situation to Seulgi. They've been friends for over a year. The story is long overdue.

The cofounder's keynote presentation goes smoothly. It's hard to tell it's her first time doing this, presenting something where she's one of the main stars and not the one shining the spotlight on something else.

She captivates the crowd with her story. Her many years of hard work leading to this, then saying the hardships were all part of what made her the artist she is today.

The project manager busies herself further by checking hashtags for the event, reposting things she deemed appropriate to the studio's official account.

As Seulgi's speech ends, Sooyoung prepares a quote card with a powerful image of the cofounder for posting on their socials.

She could have gotten someone else to do this, but Mino and Seulgi trusted only her.

"Excuse me," she hears from right behind her. A lanky man was holding out a folded piece of paper. "Park Sooyoung, right?"

"What's this?" Seulgi asks, looking up at the man. Joy didn't even notice her approaching.

She looked cool like that, trying to assert her power in the face of a possible threat.

The man lowers his voice, trying to make it clear it was a private exchange. "It's from Wendy."

Sooyoung closes her eyes and exhales deeply, folding the piece of paper one more time and placing it in her phone case.

He gives her an apologetic expression and leaves the two alone.

"What was that? Who was that?" Seulgi asks again. "Are you okay? If he made you uncomfortable..."

The younger girl just looks up at her and smiles. "Ditch the afterparty to drink with me."

Seulgi runs a hand through her hair and nods. "If it's that bad, you got me."

"But not until we've apologized to Miss Irene properly," Joy says, pointing a finger right between the photographer's eyes.

"You can call her Joohyun unnie too, you know."

"We don't know each other like that."

The older girl breaks into a big smile. "If we invite her tonight, we can change that."

-

They are on their third bottle of soju before they even remember they have to discuss the issue at hand.

Bae Joohyun, the human being, is a refreshing sight in an oversized tee and tights.

The three of them have washed off today's makeup and glamorous attires in exchange for more comfortable outfits.

(Which is great, because Sooyoung was having trouble breathing with the way Seulgi looked in that fit.)

The photos and footage from the press and magazines all came out amazing. Most of the popular ones were of the trio now sitting comfortably sitting criss-cross around chips and bottles of soju and beer.

"Seulgi unnie said I can call you Joohyun unnie," the youngest among them starts shyly. Ever the polite one, she diligently refilled everyone's shot glasses.

Joohyun nods and downs the shot quickly, not even wincing. "Sooyoungie, you remind me so much of my younger sister."

"Is she this pretty?" Joy asks playfully.

"She's about your height," the eldest says with a hearty laugh. "You're prettier. Don't tell my mom I said that. She always says our maknae looks like her."

"She looks like her dad," Seulgi adds. "Very handsome man."

Joohyun elbows her ribs. "Stop being weird about my dad."

"I'm not! You know I'm not into that," Seulgi says defensively, looking like she's about to launch an attack.

She jumps on Joohyun when the older girl replies with "Right, because you like pretty girls like me and S—"

S? Pretty girls? Seulgi likes people??

Joohyun manages to fight off Seulgi despite the other girl's height advantage, reminding her of the pressing matters at hand.

(But. Seulgi likes people?)

After being forced to invite Irene herself, Joy quickly realized that getting on her good side wasn't difficult at all.

All she wanted in exchange for her impromptu emceeing was at least three bottles of soju. Sooyoung considered her own limits and Seulgi's, buying a total of seven.

They gathered in the veranda of Joohyun's smaller apartment. She had two, considering press often flocked the better known address. This one was for entertaining friends or just when she needed to get away from it all.

"Who is this from?" Seulgi asks, nudging the folded piece of paper towards Sooyoung.

Joohyun quickly passed the photographer a glass of water to nurse so she doesn't get drunk too fast.

"My ex," Sooyoung answers.

"The man?"

Their youngest shakes her head.

"Someone from the press?"

"No."

"From the magazines?"

"No."

"Are they a celebrity?" Seulgi tries again.

"Oh no, my secret love affair with Sooyoung has been exposed," Joohyun jokes, opening another bottle of soju.

Joy quietly unfolds the piece of paper just enough to show the signature at the bottom.

"WENDY?" The best friends gasp out. 

Whatever tipsiness they were starting to feel seemed to have gone away.

Joohyun pouted. "Aww... I kinda liked her. Would be weird now though, considering she broke Park Sooyoung's heart."

"Unnie..." the second eldest sighs.

"I'm sorry," the actress says immediately, looking at the youngest with sincerity.

Sooyoung shrugs and says it's more complicated than that, saying it was more like she broke her own heart.

She tells them the whole story and Seulgi comments on how unfair it is Joohyun gets to find out right away.

Joy apologizes again and says it was her own stubborness. They were together for over two years, meeting in the coffee shop where Sooyoung worked part-time and where Seungwan loved to work on her music.

On open mic nights, the singer would perform a few of her originals and stayed until closing to talk to the barista.

She was skeptical at first, but as the conversations grew deeper and Seungwan started bringing her baked goods, it all progressed quickly from there.

"She seems pretty happy about where she is right now," Joy says with a shrug. "Everything hapens for a reason."

She got through the whole story without crying, but she does feel a lot of regret. Like she deprived herself of her own peace of mind.

"I'm not interested in getting back with her," she adds. "Before you two assume anything."

"Why?" Joohyun asks, mindlessly munching on chips. "Do you like someone else?"

(If Joy noticed how Seulgi's eyes flitted up towards the eldest, she tries not to think anything of it.)

"From this note she wrote, I don't think she's interested either. But she apologized and says I look like I'm where I want to be."

"Don't tell me she wants to meet up with you for closure or whatever," Seulgi mumbles, lying on her back and gazing at the stars.

The youngest looks at the note, reading the words repeatedly and trying not to memorize the phone number written there.

"She doesn't want to pressure me or anything, but she did mention getting in touch."

"When you finally move on in 2025 then," the photographer jokes. Her teasing is met with a bottle cap thrown at her head.

Joohyun sticks a tongue out at her best friend, telling her she deserves it.

"Sooyoung," the actress begins. "I think it's admirable you both are willing to recognize that what happened is in the past. Based on what Seulgi has told me about you, you've been tormenting yourself too much about the loss of your one great love."

"Sometimes your great love isn't the right love," Seulgi comments, probably quoting some film or novel. Joohyun forces her to sit up and drink water before she gives any more unsolicited responses.

"Seulgi unnie has been talking about me to you?" Joy asks, trying to get every last drop from the bottle in her hand.

She whines when there's no more and reaches for another bottle.

The actress smiles and says Seulgi talks about "a lot", saying nothing more about that. Instead, she praises the youngest for recognizing she has to sort out her issues.

"You'll have a lot of people lining up for you after all those photos from today," the eldest of the trio jokes. "We'll help you get through this. Right, Kang Seulgi?"

The photographer nods sleepily. "We're here for you, Sooyoungie."


	8. Not to burden

Making friends is easier than Joy expected. She already had a few good acquaintances, she only needed to make a little extra effort to actually connect with them.

Instead of eating alone on days Seulgi has to work somewhere else, Joy has started accepting her coworker’s invites to have lunch together. Today, she was checking out this new pho place with Ten.

The boy was easily her closest friend in the workplace other than her roommate. Their small tradition of buying each other coffee and chatting at each other’s tables was a good foundation.

All they needed was to learn about each other more and perhaps be clearer they got each other’s backs.

There are some differences they need to overcome, like how Sooyoung loves her fruit cups after each meal and the graphic designer is strangely afraid of consuming fruit.

But that’s part of the whole friendship thing. You might not agree with everything, but you agree on things that matter.

Ten is very smart and would be the first to initiate discussions about equality. Feeling challenged, Joy has started reading up more on the topic and contributing to their discussions with a few other members of their team.

She feels very relaxed around him, so it’s only natural she’s started to share her personal dilemmas with him as well.

“So.. I have a dilemma,” Joy says as they walk towards their usual coffee place.

Ten looks at her, nodding to urge her to go on.

“It’s very complicated,” she sighs. “I don’t know which part to talk to you about first.”

He pauses in his tracks and thinks. “If this is about director Kang, I think it’s very obvious you like her.”

She only looks at him and raises her brows.

“You’re always telling me about something funny she does at home, you always look like a lost puppy when she’s out of office, and when you think she’s not looking you’re ogling her,” he points out. “I think everyone in the office knows.”

Sooyoung bites the inside of her cheek and laughs. “There’s no point denying I find her cute and attractive, I guess. But the thing is, I don’t know if I like her deeply or I just miss dating.”

“What are our policies about office relationships?” Ten asks hypothetically.

Sooyoung lightly punches his shoulder. “Don’t talk as if you don’t know about the people having a little fun in our office nap room.”

He makes a grossed out expression and laughs. The company didn’t have policies about things like that, as long as you did your work well.

“You said you miss dating, not your ex or something?”

Sooyoung shrugs. The line at the coffee shop was a bit longer than usual. “That’s the other side of the issue. I saw her the other day.”

“Oh. That’s terrible.”

The girl tells him it’s not that bad. She explains she found it weird she wasn’t even angry or that she missed her specifically. “I think I’ve just been beating myself up over not being good enough. Like, we broke up because I was lacking. And in our situation, I think it was true.”

“So you don’t have any leftover feelings for your ex,” he clarifies. “But because of your insecurities, you don’t feel like you’re good enough to date?”

Sooyoung nods. “And I feel like I’m using Seulgi unnie’s role in my life to fill up the hole created by my complex human desires to be cherished.”

“Is that not what dating is for most people?” Ten asks again.

“Well, that’s why a lot of relationships end badly. We think we need a relationship when we only need companionship.”

“Maybe you just need to get laid,” he suggests. “Or at least like… help yourself.”

Sooyoung can’t hide her embarrassment, “I would try if I wasn’t so scared the walls are too thin.”

He gasps and grabs her by the shoulders dramatically. “Sweetie, how long has it been? Is it okay down there, are you capable of feeling desire?”

The girl pushes him a bit and laughs it off. “Hey. I don’t know. But I’ve only started thinking about it again recently, if that says anything.”

“Because of her..?”

“Why are you doing your best to embarrass me?” she asks instead.

He shrugs and points out they’re close to the front of the line. “You should try it then if you still have a deep desire to ravage her, then it might really be serious.”

“That doesn’t solve the other aspect of the issue!” she harshly whispers.

“Look,” he says after placing their order. “Girl, I can’t help you with your insecurities about your previous failed relationship. I don’t recommend trying to get closure, that usually ends up with people in bed together, but you do deserve to forgive yourself.”

She only looks at him, thinking.

“You’re really awesome, okay? You are a great person, you work hard, you look great. I’m sure there are a lot of people who would want to be with someone like you, if not director Kang. You just need to believe in yourself a little more.”

So far that’s the trend with everyone she’s talked to: she needs to believe in herself a little more.

“Stop selling yourself short, okay?” he asks again, handing her the drink they ordered. “And I’m here! If you need to figure out if you really like being with her or you just needed companionship as you put it, I’m your friend.”

She looks at her drink and takes a sip before looking back at him. “Thanks for being a friend.”

On their walk back to the office, they inevitably end up discussing her ex. At this point, the story barely bothers her as she tells it. She starts to wonder why she’s never opened up to anyone this entire time when every conversation has been absolutely cathartic.

Ten, as a fan of Wendy’s work, is absolutely surprised when he hears about it.

“We might end up working with her now she’s out there pursuing a solo career,” he notes.

Not that Sooyoung already didn’t consider the possibility. If she was at the event, she’s probably someone Mino knows. Seulgi didn’t seem to know her, from how they talked about it the first time.

She’s already starting to appear on social media here and there. Magazine shoots and endorsements are probably in order. Joy needs to get over the whole thing real soon to make her life easier.

She probably needs to accept Wendy’s invitation to talk.  
-

Seulgi is very antsy today, Sooyoung notices. It’s weird, because looking at the other girl’s tasks, she’s very much on track and has even finished some things ahead of schedule.

The now-company director doesn’t even have to be at the office today.

“Is Mino in his office?” Joy asks. Seulgi is hanging around her table, as always, but acting as if she doesn’t want Joy to leave.

“He’s busy,” Seulgi answers quickly. “Talking to a client.”

Sooyoung gets up from her seat and tries to push Seulgi aside, “It’s just a quick question, he never minds it anyway.”

Seulgi shakes her head a little too fast. “No, I don’t think he wants anyone barging in for this one.”

“I’ll knock.”

“Like he really doesn’t want anyone else in there!”

“You’re being weird,” the taller girl points out. “This has never happened before.”

“It’s Wendy,” the director finally says. “She’s planning a small show at the studio so they’re discussing it.”

Sooyoung can only exhale deeply. “So you’re trying to protect me from an awkward situation?”

Seulgi nods.

“Aww, is Director Kang jealous?” Ten chirps as he walks by. Sooyoung will have his head later for sure.

“I’m not jealous!” their senior harshly whispers. “Why would I be jealous…”

The project manager tries to fight off a thought saying she wishes Seulgi was. She brings her roommate in for a big hug and puts on a dramatic voice, “Oh darling. You will never lose me, my heart is only yours.”

Seulgi isn’t sure whether to hug her back or fight her off because Sooyoung is really emphasizing their height difference right now.

“I just don’t want this to throw off your mood, you know?”

Sooyoung reverts to her normal self and pulls back. “Aww, so this is all about company productivity?”

“It’s not that, idiot,” the older girl says. “I really care about you and you should be able to deal with things at your own pace, though you’ll need a little nudging at points.”

The project manager frowns and thanks her.

“I didn’t like seeing the way you were at the event,” Seulgi continues. “So you should stop looking at this direction before you accidentally see her on her way out.”

“You’re going to end up working with her, aren’t you?” 

Everyone knew this was a possibility.

“Well, if she needs photos and doesn’t have anyone else to do it. I’ll make sure they get another PM on her account, if that would help. So you don’t have to visit me on set.”

Joy laughs a little and starts typing again on her laptop, “My hero.” She looks up to meet Seulgi’s gaze and thanks her. “Now can you please find something to do?”

“Are you distracted by my dashing good looks and heroic charm?”

“Get out,” the project manager whines. “Or go home. You don’t have anything to do here.”

Seulgi pouts and pretends to be offended, putting her hand on her chest. “I’ll make us dinner so don’t stay here long.”

“Is this an offer or a threat?” Sooyoung asks.

She’s kidding, of course. The older girl’s cooking has become much better in the short time they’ve lived together. Apparently, she’s been taking cooking lessons. Joy went a little overboard with the teasing that Seulgi started to question if her cooking was really that bad.

Sooyoung spent a lot of her time apologizing and eating whenever Seulgi offered to cook. She starts to think she should have bitten her tongue back before making that joke.

“It’s prepared with love,” Seulgi says as she walks towards her office to collect her things. “You’ll never feel satisfied eating anyone else’s food again.”

Sooyoung watches her walk away, eyes only turning back to her desk when Seulgi gets closer to the CEO's office.

“You’re basically married,” Ten teases, approaching Joy with a few documents.

“You should be glad I’m working on my patience lately,” she says as she accepts and signs the areas marked with highlighter.

“I’m happy you’re in a good mood,” the graphic designer replies cheekily, taking the stack of paper back. “I hope it works out.”

Sooyoung needs to visit a stationery store very soon. She’s running out of things to throw at her coworkers really fast.

The nearest bookstore is a short walk from their apartment so she stops by on her way home. She’s grateful the weather is nicer these days and she can dress comfortably. There are kids playing in the playground as their mothers chat on a nearby bench.

It’s a nice community. Not quite an affluent neighborhood, but definitely one of the nicer apartment complexes in the area. The local district made an effort to keep public spaces walkable and green on top of all that.

Plus, the elevators don’t feel like they’re going to break down any minute.

The smell of her favorite dish hits her as soon as she steps out of the foyer into the living room and dining area. Seulgi prepared grilled eel rice bowls for dinner tonight.

“I heard you were craving the other day,” her chef for tonight says proudly. The table is already set with cutlery they only really brought out whenever they had guests.

The table was only set for two, so she knows that’s not the case. Seulgi is still in her outfit from earlier and immediately asks Joy to dine with her.

It’s really good. She compliments her roommate and makes it a point to elaborate on what she liked. Today wasn’t particularly stressful, but it was nice to unwind with a good meal.

“You’re weirdly quiet though,” Sooyoung points out. “What are you thinking?”

Seulgi stays silent for a few more moments, “I’m not sure if it would be okay to talk to you about what I’m thinking.”

“Can I get a hint about what it's all about?”

“Eh... Alright. Ended up in the same elevator with Wendy on my way home.”

Sooyoung raised her brow. “Exposure therapy helps people confront their fears, I guess I should get used to people talking about her.” She laughs first, and Seulgi follows along. “What’s your impression of her, then?”

“She’s really nice. Introduced herself, asked a little about my talk at the program and our work at the agency.”

“Don’t get the wrong idea, but did she say anything about me?”

Seulgi nodded. “She said she, umm, knew you from when she was getting started. Said you did a great job as emcee and all.”

“I see…”

“She sounded really hyped when she found out we were the same age and said she was excited to work with me,” the older girl adds.

Joy laughs. “I think you two could get along well. If you end up friends, well. You’re your own person.”

Seulgi just smiles. 

“You already finished your food.”

“I told you, it’s good,” the younger girl says sincerely. “I never apologized for making fun of your cooking before and I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad about it. I went overboard.”

“No offense taken. At least I got to learn a lot of new things,” the other responds.

The two clear the table and wash the dishes together after finishing their meal, shifting to lighter topics and easing back into their usual banter.

“You’re making it so hard for anyone who would try to date me, you’re setting my standards too high,” Sooyoung teases. She wasn’t even bluffing. Seulgi wasn’t perfect but she was so good to her, it made her want to reconsider everything.

“One of the reasons I find it hard to date is that my parents and Joohyun unnie set a really high standard on how I deserve to be treated,” Seulgi shares with a serious tone. “It’s really nice to hear that from you, though.”

“I remember you said you were scared that if you dated, you can’t give the other person what they needed from you,” the other girl muses. “I don’t think you’d have to worry about that.”

Seulgi only shrugs. “If I can help you see your worth, I’ll be very happy. I don’t want to be repetitive but you are such an amazing girl. You need to see that.”

“Where are all the suitors Joohyun unnie promised me?” Sooyoung whines.

“They have to go through me first,” the older girl jokes. “I’m still filtering through the applications.”

Sooyoung jokes about her overprotectiveness and pouts. If only the older girl knew she’s at the very front of the line, the only one Joy is considering if it comes down to it.

She just really didn’t want to be a burden to someone who has no known experience. Seulgi shows strong potential at this whole dating thing, but she shouldn’t have to carry a heart weary from past love. Seulgi deserves a great first serious relationship.

“I have a question, unnie.”

“What is it?”

“Did you and Joohyun unnie ever…” Joy hesitates. The question feels a little dumb.

Seulgi burst out laughing. “No, no. We never dated. I used to have this big crush on her when I was a teenager but it was stupid. It’s funny now, but she’s been a really great friend.”

Joy let out a small “hmm” and smirked. “So you do like people.”

“I’m not a rock,” the older girl says, as if that explains everything. “I just don’t actively seek out people to like.”

If her reaction to this new information is saying anything, Joy definitely likes Seulgi more than she thought.

Joohyun being anyone’s first crush would set a ridiculously high standard. It’s not enough that she’s gorgeous, she’s also funny and absolutely charming. She isn’t affectionate with her words, but her thoughtfulness and generosity is well-known among the industry and fans.

The kind of person Seulgi would like must have really magnetic qualities, Joy thinks. When (or if) they come along, it’s really going to hit her like a truck.


	9. Fresh eyes

Joy hasn’t walked along K-Star Road since she was a curious freshman in high school. 

She’s grown out of her active days as an idol fan, but it was still fascinating to see the K-Pop companies lining the main road between Apgujeong Rodeo Station Exit 2 and the Cheongdam crossroads.

In between the companies were cosmetology clinics and flagship stores of foreign designers. Brands she only saw on her clients and in fashion shows and display rooms, never on her own clothing rack.

Her eyes scan the names of the establishments as she walks past them. She knows any celebrity who claims to have no skincare routine had a little help from experts through bespoke diets and treatment plans.

(She's not envious. Her skin looks amazing and she's proud of the effort that went into planning and religiously following her day and night skincare routines.)

The exterior of her destination screamed established and exclusive. There was a well-dressed security officer at the entrance, the entryway adorned by velvet ropes, and even the staff looked expensive in their outfits.

It’s her first time walking into the Prada flagship store in Cheongdam as a customer. She’s been there before to cover launches of their new collections but this was a whole other world.

She started to feel nervous even if she knew she wasn’t doing anything illegal or suspicious.

Her thoughts are disrupted when her shopping buddy for the day greets her with a giddy smile.

“You’re here!”

Sooyoung felt like a fish out of the water in this space, but not her. This was a woman who was paid to wear this brand from head to toe. Magazines, red carpets, to subtle appearances of the items on her Instagram feed. She was worthy of it all and more.

“Joohyun unnie,” Joy waves at her with a big smile.

The actress starts to walk across the store as soon as Joy acknowledges her, looking back every few seconds as a quiet acknowledgement to follow along.

“This place smells and looks and feels so expensive,” the younger girl whispers.

Joohyun looks through a rack of blazers, taking hangers off the rack and imagining the outfits on Joy as she explores her options.

“Well, it is,” Irene laughs.

The top actress never made anyone feel that she thought she was better than them. Sure, she was intimidating, but she never looked down on others for their status.

It’s no surprise Joy became comfortable with her quickly. Their drinking session with Seulgi opened up the opportunity to connect and become closer.

They exchanged numbers before they went home and have had a few heart-to-heart conversations since then.

Looking at what she knows now about human being Bae Joohyun and not superstar Irene Bae, it’s easy to see why her roommate once had a huge crush on her.

While Seulgi was a perfect fit as the senior who gets everything right and takes care of her well, Joohyun is truly an older sister in many ways.

It’s not only that Joohyun was five years older than Sooyoung, but she doted on her by looking after her well-being and spoiling her without saying anything.

As the eldest daughter in her family, Sooyoung warmly welcomed having a new unnie.

Being the eldest child meant she hesitated on asking for gifts even if she loved them. Irene, as an expert in catching other’s words, once demonstrated this when she remembered Joy talking about a scent she liked.

A week after that, Joy received a large bottle of the perfume as a gift signed by “Baechu unnie”.

She thought nothing about posting photos of the gift she received until the busy project manager could check her phone again.

Her Instagram notifications blew up with envious fans and colleagues. Irene’s fans started taking interest in their new public friendship and she found herself an unexpected receiver of the “Irene Effect”.

“It’s so crazy. There was an article about me on Insight,” Joy shares as they now look through dresses in the store.

“What was the headline?”

“Oh, you know that already. ‘Thank you, Baechu unnie - Who is Park Sooyoung?’ Good thing there were good photos of me from the event and I keep my Instagram feed spotless.”

“So do you have any admirers in your DMs?” the older girl teases. “Even after the event, Dispatch Style and Insight Fashion featured your outfit. Project manager and creative Park Sooyoung up there with celebrities and influencers. Don’t tell me you didn’t see that.”

Joy shakes her head, “Maybe if I wasn’t all up in my head, I would have noticed all that.”

Irene hands her a dress to try on. “Are you feeling any better, by the way?”

“It’s been a few weeks since I saw her… and she’s started working with us on an upcoming show,” she shares, entering the fitting room. “Maybe psychologists were right about exposure therapy.”

“Oh that’s… do you have to work with her directly?”

The younger girl tells her she doesn't. “Seulgi unnie took care of it. Since it’s a short project that virtually couldn’t go wrong, they assigned it to one of our interns.”

"Is the intern Kim Yerim?"

"Kim Yerim? Not sure. She goes by Katie…"

Joohyun laughs. "That's her. My cousin."

Joy raises her brows, curious. Does everyone know everyone here? "Your cousin."

"Yep… she's usually causing trouble."

"None so far on my end," Joy reports. "But maybe Seulgi unnie would have some stories."

"Oh she does. They've known each other since Seulgi and I were teenagers. Yerim's kind of obsessed with her."

"Obsessed?" Joy repeats. There's a strange feeling rising up from her core.

("Jealousy" is the word she's looking for.)

"Big crush, used to follow her everywhere," Irene laughs. "Or maybe she's grown out of it. Doesn't make it less fun to tease her when I found out she applied there."

Maybe Joy should meddle a little with that project… how can she do that without running into her ex?

"Are you alright in there?" the older girl asks out of concern.

She's alright, she supposes. Do girls only apply at their agency to work with Seulgi?

"Sooyoung-ah?"

Damn. This was a pretty dress, but the zipper was giving her trouble.

Not wanting to make Irene wait too long, she decides it's better to ask for help.

The older girl laughs as she enters the cubicle. As she has learned, Joohyun gets a little kick watching her friends struggle because she thinks they’re adorable.

It’s a compliment, Joy figures.

Irene steps in to help once she confirms the younger girl would be comfortable with it.

“It looks perfect on you,” she comments.

Sooyoung is flustered. Complimented by god herself? The two of them look at the mirror and admire how well it fits her. Like it was made just for her.

She inhales sharply when she briefly feels a hand against the small of her back.

("She's a little touchy," Seulgi told her once.)

“Where do you work out?” the older girl asks rather suddenly.

Is she saying she has a nice figure? Joy knows, because she works hard for it, but it doesn’t stop her from getting shy about it.

“I do pilates in this place in Gangnam, then two or three times a week I get personal training from a place near the apartment,” she answers.

With an approving hum, Irene helps her unzip the dress so she can try on something else and leaves her to change.

The actress shares she moved from a power plates studio to a real gym and pilates recently, after realizing her old routine was no longer enough to get her to the physical strength and stamina her profession demanded.

“I’m happy Seulgi is there to look out for you,” the older girl says after some silence. “This might be weird to say because I've known her longer but you’re a good kid. Thanks for taking care of Seulgi too.”

Joy deflects the compliment, saying she doesn’t do much for Seulgi outside of their work.

“I raised Seulgi well, didn’t I?” Joohyun asks with a laugh. “No longer a poop puppy.”

The younger girl laughs. She has to agree, she sees the parts of Seulgi that must have come from Joohyun and vice versa.

“You talk about her like your own child or something,” she comments.

“She’s like real family to me,” the older girl says from outside the cubicle. “So it was really awkward when she confessed. You know about that, right?"

Joy decides against telling her it's because she asked. "Yeah, she told me."

"Poor thing. I think we handled it well, since we're still this close now.”

If Joohyun is willing to share, Sooyoung wonders if she’s welcome to ask. She didn’t want to border on dangerous territory.

“You never saw her that way?”

The petite girl snorted. “Look, anyone with eyes would agree she’s attractive. I’m very fond of her, even if I don’t tell her that. Maybe at one point, I also questioned if my feelings were still sisterly or platonic?”

“The thing about Seulgi,” Irene continues. “It’s hard not to like her. Everyone who gets to work with her falls for her. She’s too kind for her own good and she’s great at what she does. But it’s not easy to know her on a deeper level, to really connect with her and have her open up. That can get really frustrating.”

Sooyoung is back to wondering how well she really knows the girl she likes.

“How would you describe her?” the older girl asks, as if reading her mind. “As a roommate or a coworker, whichever way you like.”

She hums as she changes back into her clothes. “She can be frustrating.”

“I’m glad you agree,” the older girl says.

“But Seulgi unnie gets so dedicated and passionate about the things and people she cares about. She can be clumsy with other things or a total sloth on her rest days but her work ethic and the quality of her output is impeccable.”

Joohyun hums in agreement. “You can see that in the way her bedroom and kitchen is organized in the way her living room or laundry room isn’t,” she adds with a laugh. “The kid can be very organized if she wants.”

“And she just has this disposition to take care of others, especially juniors or people younger than her,” Sooyoung adds.

“Ah,” the older girl sighs. “This is why she’s always coming to me. Panicking about some younger person confessing to her after completely misreading her actions.”

“I- I don’t, I’ve never thought of her kindness as anything more than that,” Joy finds herself saying.

Why does she sound so defensive? She presses her face into her palms before leaving the fitting room.

She won't be surprised if Irene could tell, even if Joy has never talked to her about her feelings for Seulgi.

(She doesn't worry about Seulgi knowing. The girl can be rather oblivious.)

“This is what I told her when we were younger,” Irene tells her. “If you’re not used to people treating you well, you’ll fall for warm actions too easily. That’s why all those kids misinterpret Seulgi’s kindness and platonic affection as romance.”

Sooyoung nods, “So you trained her to not fall for basic human kindness.”

The actress laughs and agrees it’s something like that. As they go through the rest of the store, she talked about how knowing your self-worth and being able to give yourself the things you want will keep you from being easily swayed by gifts and grand gestures.

“So she’ll know that if she falls for someone, it’s because of who they are and not because of what they can do for her or how they make her feel,” Irene continues. “That she wants to be with the person because of the connection they have with each other.”

The younger girl smiles warmly when Irene tells her she wants the same for her.

“You want us to grow old single. I’ll be the best rich unmarried auntie ever,” Sooyoung jokes. “You and Seulgi unnie have set the standard so high for me. But thank you, really.”

Irene smiles. “Thank you for understanding what we're trying to teach you.”

“I’ve never heard about you dating, though,” Joy says quietly, not wanting anyone to eavesdrop. “But I figured you’d be the type to be super good at hiding things.”

“It’s not for me, I think,” the actress says. “I’ve been on a few dates over the years. There was someone I liked back home but they’re married now so…”

Now that’s a shocker. There’s a person who would choose someone else over Bae Joohyun?

“I’m in no rush to settle down, if at all,” Irene adds. “If there’s a great person who matches me well, then that would be great. There’s still so much I want to do for myself. But I’m not telling you to do the same.”

“Do you have someone in mind for me, unnie?” Joy asks, half-joking.

“You clearly love romance, if you being hung up about your past relationship says anything. It’s your life, though. No offense.”

“None taken.”

“Kang Seulgi is a hopeless romantic too, she just doesn’t show it.”

“If her biweekly ‘Before’ Trilogy marathons tell me anything,” Sooyoung says with a laugh. “Makes me wonder if she’s just in love with the idea of love since she doesn’t seem interested when it involves real people.”

Irene smirks. For a while it looks like she wanted to say something, but decided against it. “You two… you’ll know.”

Joy doesn’t press her further.

At the cashier, she tries hard not to flinch every time the cashier scans a barcode and the total gets closer and closer to what she spent for her entire college education.

Irene is paying for Joy’s items and hers. She doesn’t even blink when she hands the cashier a black credit card.

“But don’t think I spend irresponsibly,” the actress says as they walk out the store. “I outsource my accounting now but I’m still pretty much on top of my finances.”

Joy makes a mental note to take a taxi on her way home if she doesn’t want to get robbed.

Physically, the shopping bags are not that heavy. She just feels a lot of pressure about someone spending so much money on her, even if Irene told her not to worry about it.

Their shopping spree is followed by a meal at a cafe of Sooyoung's choosing. Irene had to stop her from ordering an overpriced salad.

“Try the pizza or pasta,” she urged.

“I can’t eat too much wheat,” Joy says at first. “I’m trying to be careful about what I eat.” 

“And you think I’m not?” Irene shoots back. “I know pilates and personal training sessions are expensive, but one indulgent meal won’t hurt. Let’s order some pasta and steak.”

The two burst into laughter and talked a bit more about themselves, how they were like as students or when they were younger in general. The hairstyles mandated in middle school, their favorite subjects, how diligently they studied to make it into the university they wanted.

She learns Joohyun started university to pursue a degree in acting, but dropped out when her career started to pick up.

Irene had the chance to resume her studies a few years later, when Seulgi was already a junior at the same university. The creative would often boast about them graduating together.

“Your graduation photos became a hot topic,” Joy recalls.

“Someone made a collage of my graduation photos since elementary school,” Irene adds. “The middle school one is so embarrassing."

The younger girl shakes her head. “You were born pretty. There were a lot of articles too about how your story is an inspiration to many.”

“I only finished my degree because I knew it would be good publicity,” Irene jokes. “But seriously. I really liked school. And I entered the industry at a time where university degrees were seen as a proof of your credibility even if you had a long list of acting credits to your name.”

“Is it true male celebrities only pursue higher education to delay their enlistment?” Joy whispers.

Irene nods, "But their fans would go on praising them about their useless PhDs.” 

So she isn’t a total angel, she can be a little mean. But she’s funny and pretty, so she’s allowed to be.

“If not for Seulgi unnie I think I’d be considering a master’s degree abroad right now,” Sooyoung muses. “I mean, she helped me get here. I’m really happy where my career is now.”

“How many times do we have to tell you not to sell yourself short?” Irene asks seriously, reaching out to hold Joy’s hand.

“I’m sorry.”

Joohyun frowns. “I’m sure you got in because you had great qualifications and your character, your work ethic shone through your interview.”

“But Seulgi unnie’s recommendation definitely helped.”

The older girl relents. “A bit. Why don’t we try to elevate your career a little? Project manager, account manager isn’t exactly a sexy title.”

“What are you suggesting..?”

“I think you’re worthy of the title creative director.” 

“Seulgi unnie is a director, that’s at least a few years away for me,” Joy counters. 

Given the rather flat structure of their company, the possibility is sooner than it would be if she worked in a traditional advertising agency.

“From what you’re telling me, you don’t just make sure projects go along as planned. You strategize and exercise your creativity too. Perhaps… Creative Lead?”

The suggestion gets Joy thinking. She only planned to go on a shopping trip but she got life and career coaching too. All for free?

“I’ll ask Seulgi and Mino to consider a title change, if not a promotion,” Joohyun continues. “And we need to leverage your social media presence.”

“You barely post on Instagram,” Joy points out.

The actress laughs. “That’s part of my brand. I’m private. Elusive, if you want to use culture critics’ words. If I suddenly start posting a lot, it wouldn’t feel authentic.”

She has a point. On the other hand, Joy has a curated feed of regular triple posts. She doesn’t want to brag, but she’s sure she has more followers than some idols.

“I can see it,” Irene says, imagining a canvas before her. “Park Sooyoung, Joy. When were you born?”

“1996.”

The realization makes Joohyun pause a little. “Oh wow. Okay. Park Sooyoung. Joy. 1996. Creative Lead. Or Creative Manager.”

Joy has to admit she loves the idea.

“People already love your style, they know you’re gorgeous,” the older girl says. “Not to overwhelm you but we can even get you an interview or two with brand and marketing magazines.”

The creative is definitely a bit overwhelmed. All this would surely open many doors for her. She’s proud of her work, sure, but it will take a while to fully accept this level of recognition.

Irene turns to her with a determined look in her face. How can Joy say no?


	10. Overloaded

The office pantry is a little too alive for Sooyoung’s liking. She’s at the office earlier than usual but there’s somehow still too many people for the mood she’s in right now.

Seulgi has been trying to make up for the fact she’s been working out of office for nearly two weeks now. She drops Joy off at the office before driving to the creative complex or wherever she had to work that day.

It’s almost funny how she's only making use of her car now except Joy isn’t laughing. Maybe she misses the carefree mornings where they had time to eat a quick breakfast and the days they’re yelling at each other about whose fault it is that they missed their bus.

To be fair to Seulgi, it’s more efficient to drive a car if you have several destinations in a day.

If Sooyoung is lucky, Seulgi would pick her up at the office after work and they would eat wherever the project manager wanted. The older girl has offered to pay for everything every single time so far, including dessert.

(“I’m not doing this only because I feel bad,” Seulgi would say in one way or another every other day.)

She’s pissed, to put it lightly, but Joy reminds herself she has no established right to be feeling this way about her roommate.

They’re busy adults with their own lives at the end of the day.

“How come you look both dead and flourishing?” Ten asks, waving a hand in front of the dazed girl. “Up all night doing what?”

There he goes again, his nudge nudge wink wink thing.

“It’s nothing like what you’re implying,” she responds.

“I’m not even saying anything!” the graphic designer says defensively, his laughter betraying him.

Sooyoung lifts her head from the table to see if there’s anyone within earshot, immediately resting her cheek back against the table when she sees there’s only two of them now.

“Ten, I’m losing my mind,” she groans. “It’s getting out of control.”

“What is?” He tilts his head to meet her unfocused eyes. “I mean your feelings yes but what exactly happened?”

“Do you want the general audience version or the mature one you’ve been trying to get out of me?” Joy asks, voice nearly muffled into the sleeves of her top.

She had a rocking look on today, despite herself. A yellow plaid top with a low boat neckline and a dark asymmetrical skirt, all to highlight her assets.

If she can’t feel sexy, then at least she looks sexy.

He sits up and clasps his fingers together, as if he has to think about it. “Whatever you’re comfortable with.”

She looks up at him and screams into her folded arms to muffle the sound. And then again, for good measure.

“Alright, so I just need to get this out because there is literally no one else I can tell who wouldn't think I'm gross.” Joy starts, chewing on her lower lip before she continues in a quiet whisper.

“I had a very, very vivid sex dream last night.”

Ten fakes disgust and quickly changes into an intrigued expression. “About her? That’s so scandalous of you.”

“I feel weird about it, okay!?” she nearly screams out. “Apparently it felt so real that I came. God. Like no matter how hot and bothered I’ve felt around her or anyone I never tried to… help myself with it thinking of them. And then my brain decides to do this.”

The graphic designer looks genuinely speechless. “I thought only guys did that in their sleep.”

“The more you know,” Joy murmurs. Thinking of what happened still makes her shudder. “Is it disgusting? I think I’m disgusting. Thinking of such a good friend in that way, to that extent.”

“You’re literally in love with her, so I guess that’s part of the deal,” he tries to reason. “You’re just human.”

Love. Huh. Even that still feels like too big of a word for what she still describes as an overgrown crush, left untamed and now it’s become her own monster in her sleep.

“Okay, let’s move on since you’re going to kill all your brain cells if we dwell on this,” he suggests. “What’s the family friendly concern?”

Joy mumbles a “thank you” before finally lifting her head up to drink some water. “The way she’s been out of office for nearly two weeks now has me so irritated all the time. This is not me, Ten.”

He lets out an empathetic sigh. “Kids, this is your brain on love.”

“She’s been driving me to the office as much as she can, picking me up from work and having dinner with me when she can, but I’m still feeling like this,” she says as if she couldn't believe herself.

Ten tries to reframe her statement. “Your crush is driving you to work every morning and takes you out to dinner whenever she can.”

“Is that not what I said?”

The boy shakes his head. “You’re not looking at it from the right angle. I’d be pretty happy if I was in that situation. Someone whose undivided attention I deeply yearn for giving me exactly that? Not to mention you live with her.”

When she almost scoffs at “undivided attention”, she begins to consider she really is being unreasonable. They weren’t at work together all day but they were still spending a lot of time with each other even if they have zero obligation to.

Right. That’s the thing. They have no agreement about owing each other anything and she still expects so much, even if she’s already getting so much.

“You thrive on attention,” Ten tells her. “Even if you keep deflecting compliments, you love it when people dote on you or spend time with you. So the whole thing on top of your predisposition, it ended up like this.”

She plants her face on the table again. “What do I do?”

He’s trying really hard not to laugh. “First of all, be more grateful. Second, you’re really going to have to talk to her about this.”

“What if it ends badly?”

“Are you kidding me? I think she likes you as much as you like her.”

Joy shakes her head, or at least tries from her current position. She doesn’t want to let herself think that.

Ten sighs and grabs her head by the crown to lift her head up gently. “I don’t know what to say to you anymore since you don’t want to believe me.”

“Are you giving up on me?” she asks, surprised when she feels tears pool in her eyes.

“No, silly,” he replies, grabbing some tissue to pat her tears dry. “I’m still your friend but I’ve already said what I can about your current situation. How about we go get lunch together?”

The corner of her lips quirk up in a smile. “Alright. But we literally haven’t gotten any work done.”

“And whose fault is that?” he asks in return.

-

“I may have been overreacting.”

Joy returned from the restaurant’s restroom, toiletry purse in hand. Damn hormones.

That would explain why she finished a half chicken and fries meant for two to three people.

And no wonder she’s been horny and miserable.

“I’m not sure if I’m allowed to laugh,” Ten says as she slides back into her seat. “But at least that’s one mystery solved.”

Joy has her head in her hands again, ignoring her own rule of never touching her face. In her head, she starts to recall everything that would have pointed to this.

The cravings, the bloating, the way she snapped at her teammates a little. She always apologizes immediately after, but the poor intern might have taken it to heart.

“Joohyun unnie is going to kill me…” she realizes suddenly.

Ten looks at her weirdly for the nth time today. “What does Irene Bae have to do with you PMS-ing?”

“You know our intern Kim Yerim? Katie?”

He nods, not quite sure where this is going.

“She’s her cousin and they seem pretty close, so I don’t want to know what she thinks of me if Yerim told her I kind of snapped at her over something dumb the other day.”

“Okay, Joy.” He makes sure she’s looking at him. “Have you talked to either of them since then?”

“I apologized to the kid right away but Joohyun unnie’s been busy working on a film.”

“Do you think Katie would be the type to snitch?” he asks, encouraging Joy to take deep breaths with his hand gestures.

In. Out. In. Out.

Joy shakes her head. She doesn’t know her well enough. “She’s been working closely with Seulgi unnie recently for… the thing…”

He catches on immediately. “And Director Kang still treats you the same, so she probably hasn’t told her either. You’re fine, okay? They’ll understand. We all get a little stressed. You’re human.”

(This seems to be Ten’s favorite line when it comes to a lot of things. You’re just being yourself. You’re just human.)

Joy nods and drinks more water. “Maybe I need a day off. I don’t need to go anywhere, just need to clear my head.”

“We literally have unlimited paid leaves,” Ten remimds her.

The agency is generous, but it’s not like the workload ever eases enough for one to freely take advantage of that. So far, Joy has only used the policy to get a slightly longer long weekend so she can visit home.

As soon as they return to the office, the project manager starts sorting out what she can finish for the day and what she would need to delegate on her day off.

The HR officer on duty doesn’t hide their surprise that Joy of all people is taking a day off. “Tomorrow?”

Sooyoung nods. “It’s just getting a little too much, even for me.”

“You deserve a break,” the officer responds. “You work too hard, you know? Your contribution to the company is invaluable but it won’t fall apart if you decide to rest outside of the weekend.”

She smiles at the officer and thanks them. She didn’t realize she needed to hear that.

They turn the screen towards Sooyoung so she can see her leave has been approved.

“Feel free to contact me before 5pm tomorrow if you think you’d need another day or two. Do you have a few minutes? I think we need to give you a refresher about the company’s burnout policy.”

Company burnout policy? Joy doesn’t remember hearing about such a thing.

She agrees to sit down for a refresher and the HR officer pulls up a presentation to help. Joy still can’t recall anything, but apparently they were all told about this upon onboarding.

“The company doesn’t want you or any of our employees to burn out. No joke, you are all the best at what you do. The last thing we want is for you to lose that twinkle in your eye. That passion you have for your work,” they explain.

“So if you feel like you’re burning out because of work, or because of personal issues that have inevitably affected your creativity or productivity, we can work out something for you.”

The HR officer explains further about how Mino, Seulgi, and a few other pioneering members came up with this after consulting with an HR specialist.

Employees had the option to talk to a mental health professional or a career counselor, whichever is more appropriate for their situation, so they can work out a plan to get them back on track.

“If this sounds like something you would need, you’re always welcome to talk to HR about it,” they conclude. “No situation is too small or silly for you to ask for help.”

Joy leaves the office with a brochure containing more details about the burnout policy. All of their leaves are paid, but they can receive special allowances if the situation calls for it. To simply treat themselves or get whatever they need to make their circumstances bearable.

She thinks it’s too silly to look into it over an embarrassingly massive crush but she keeps the brochure. It’s not common for companies to have policies like this, after all.

Joy’s phone rings as soon as she settles back at her desk. She begrudgingly picks it up without even looking at the caller ID.

“You’re taking tomorrow off?” Seulgi asks as soon as the call connects. Sooyoung can hear the worry in the older girl’s tone.

“Aww, I wasn’t planning on telling you,” she jokes. “But yeah. I am. How did you know?”

“I approved it?” the photographer replies. “It should show you on the approval page.”

Sooyoung’s brows quirk up and she immediately checks the email from HR. She didn’t even bother to look at that.

Time filed: 1:09:12PM  
Approved by: Kang Seulgi, Company Director  
Time approved: 1:10:39PM

“That was fast,” she comments.

“You deserve it. I do wish you told me first though. I got worried when I received the notification.”

“But you approved it right away?”

Seulgi laughs. “This is your first time to file a leave that isn’t around the holidays. Whatever made you feel like you had to take one must be really, really serious.”

Really, really serious indeed.

“I’ve been very irritable lately, and I don’t want to be a pain to work with so I think I need to clear my head,” Sooyoung explains, sparing the details. “ _Perhaps_ I was just PMS-ing but it’s starting to look deeper than that.”

She can picture Seulgi frowning on the other end. “Well, that explains your appetite lately.”

Sooyoung rolls her eyes as if the older girl can see her. She puts on a cute voice as she responds. “But I’m your beloved roommate so it’s all good, right?”

The photographer giggles and agrees. “So are you planning anything tomorrow? Do you want me to come pick you up later?”

“Depends on my mood when I wake up but I think I just need a day of not thinking.”

“Wow, coming from you. It must be that bad,” Seulgi says again. “I’m already done for the day since the shoot got postponed. Bad weather and it looks like it’s not going to let up soon.”

By instinct, Joy pulls up the project tracker on her computer to see how it would affect production. The calendar is already updated with the new date. It shouldn’t be too bad.

“You’re getting really good at managing your stuff, soon you wouldn’t need me anymore,” the younger girl jokes.

Seulgi laughs. “Consider this me freeing you up so you can step into bigger shoes in the near future. How’s that, Creative Lead Park Sooyoung?”

No one should ever doubt Bae Joohyun, but Joy was still surprised she immediately followed through. It's been barely a week since they talked about it.

“What did Mino say about it?”

“Hmm. How about I head over there with some Baskin Robbins so we can talk about it properly?” Seulgi's signature smile is shining through her tone. “Cherries Jubilee?”

“I thought you’d never ask,” she answers happily.

-

She can see Ten looking at her like she’s insane from the corner of her eye, but she doesn’t care. It seems like she truly underestimated how happy she would be seeing Seulgi in the office again.

“She’s done nothing today but eat,” the graphic designer comments as soon as he sees the ice cream in Seulgi’s hands.

“This is why you’re not getting anything,” Sooyoung shoots back, showing off her afternoon snack.

“It looks like Sooyoung is going through a lot but you look like you’re holding up well, Ten,” the director jokes. “How have you all been here in the office?”

The office quickly becomes lively with others joining them, sharing their own updates and anecdotes. To some, it was an opportunity to vent and raise concerns like how there wasn’t enough milk in the pantry.

It was supposed to be a conversation between the two of them, but Sooyoung missed seeing the office like this. She missed the older girl’s contagious laugh and how her presence puts everyone at ease.

Today she has her hair in a loose low bun. It’s an ensemble she’s worn many times before: leather jacket over a white statement shirt and a good pair of jeans but she’s just as charming.

“Now, alright. Sooyoung and I have some private matters to discuss,” Seulgi says after the conversation winds down.

Ten is looking at Joy with a ridiculous grin. “Oh, I’m sure she’s missed you so much. You’re even in her dreams.”

One day. Sooyoung will get Ten one day.

“I’m all yours, why would you miss me?” Seulgi jokes as the two of them walk towards her office.

Sooyoung pretends not to hear her coworkers' teasing.

Since her designation as company director, they decided to upgrade the corner cubicle Seulgi had into a real office with full-length walls and a door that locks.

“What do you think?” Seulgi asks as she closes the door behind her.

The soft click of the lock made Joy raise her brows, but she smoothly makes it look like she was examining the office interior. “It’s very you. I love it.”

The older girl gives her new office chair a spin and laughs. “I missed this view.”

Joy looks out the window before realizing where Seulgi’s gaze was directed. “You’re looking at me.”

Is Seulgi… flustered?

“What, you’re the only one who’s allowed to miss me?”

“I guess we’re even,” Joy says, tone teasing although she averts her gaze.

“So, about your career development,” the director says in a more serious tone. “Ms. Bae sent us a strong position paper on why you deserve the title of Creative Lead.”

“She wrote a position paper,” the younger girl repeats.

“Mhmm. Mino and I reviewed it separately but upon discussion, we do believe you earned it.”

Sooyoung tries not to ruin the formal mood with her reaction. “So what does this mean for me?”

Her senior is wearing a proud smile. “There will be a transition period of two weeks, we might need to make a hire or a promotion in case the current workload is too much to be split among our current roster of project managers. This is a new position, but we definitely see the value it will add to our company.”

“The title is Lead,” Seulgi continues, “But your responsibilities would be closer to a managerial position.”

Joy’s cheeks are aching from the way she’s smiling right now. Stress? What stress?

“With that being said, we’re still reviewing your performance evaluations objectively to determine your new pay.”

“So it’s a promotion?” she asks to be sure. "Not just a title change?"

Seulgi nods. “Congratulations, Ms. Park.”

The younger girl could not contain her excitement. She doesn’t even realize she’s been gripping the armrests so tightly.

“Can I hug you?” Joy asks, already up from her seat.

“You don’t have to ask, idiot,” Seulgi says, breaking her serious facade as she pulls Joy into an embrace.

Realization hits her hard. So this is what she’s been missing.

Joy hasn’t hugged Seulgi in quite a while. She inhales deeply as she nuzzles her face into the curve of Seulgi’s neck, whispering her gratitude. Their most emotional hugs are always like this, Sooyoung secretly enjoying the older girl’s perfume, but right now she feels like close isn’t close enough.

“Don’t cry,” the older girl says with a frown. She pulls back enough to look at Sooyoung in the eyes, the taller of the two laughing at herself over the mess she currently is.

“I should get my work done so I can rest peacefully tomorrow,” Joy says as she calms down. Her hormone-raged brain is telling her to go for another hug, already missing Seulgi's embrace, but she tells herself to be more professional.

“Consider it done. I informed the other project managers about your leave and they agree the workload was... disproportionate. All your tasks due within the next three days are now off your plate.”

The younger girl frowns. “You’re doing way too much for me.”

“You’re underestimating how much you need help,” the director counters, putting her serious face back on. “In a couple of weeks, you’ll be doing much less of this.”

“So,” Seulgi continues. “How would you like to make the announcement to the team?”

“Can it wait until I get back?”

“Of course. I’ll be doing a location shoot tomorrow so you do whatever you want, okay?”

“I will!"

“No working from home. Leave your laptop in my safe before you clock out today,” the director instructs.

Sooyoung can't help but swoon a little. Seulgi is so adorable when she's pretending to be mad.

Sooyoung does her best salute. "Yes, ma'am."


	11. A big break

With encouragement from management and much of their team, Sooyoung extends her leave for another day.

Yesterday was productive in a relaxing way. She got to clean every room in the house except Seulgi's, which the older girl always kept locked.

She finally had time to bring out a small notebook with her mother's recipes. It will be a while until her mom can come to visit and cook for her, so she has to try and make it for herself.

It's a little embarrassing for her to be teasing Seulgi about her cooking when she can barely manage to prepare a meal on her own.

When she got stuck at parts of the recipe and it didn't seem like the dish was tasting as it should, she had to get her mom on the line.

"Mom? I hope this isn't a bad time."

Her mom hushes her. "Never a bad time when it's you, my princess. How's our new Creative Lead?"

Sooyoung still gets shy about her new title. She tells her mom she's alright, she decided to extend her leave and was trying to prepare something for lunch.

They sorted it out easily. Joy used the wrong type of soy sauce and it took a little troubleshooting but it finally started to taste right.

"I told all your aunties and uncles about your promotion!" Her mom shared excitedly. "Your sister had to help me explain what it is you do exactly but they're very proud of you."

Sooyoung's sisters were starting to grow out of their bratty teenage phase, so this was a touching moment.

"How are the two, by the way?"

Her mom sighs. "They're very proud of you but they complained their friends keep asking them to ask you for Irene Bae's autograph."

"I'll get the kids an autograph so they can make their friends jealous," Sooyoung replies with a laugh.

"My daughter is really successful and popular now. I already thought it was a blessing that you had Seulgi for a friend, and now Joohyun too… I can call her Joohyun, right?"

"I'm sure she'd be happy to let you, mom."

Her mother laughs from her end of the line. "But… Sooyoung-ah. I feel like there's something you're not telling me. You know a mother's instinct is never wrong."

She presses her lips into a thin line and hums. There's more than one, although she feels one is more pressing than the other.

"I don't want to pressure you into talking about it, princess," her mom continues. "But you know you can always talk to me."

Sooyoung apologizes and tells her mom she's not ready to talk about it.

Not about Wendy, at least.

"Guard your heart, Sooyoung-ah," her mother says gently. "Go on, enjoy your meal. Say hi to your friends for me."

"I love you, mom."

"I love you always, princess."

Joy leans against the counter and swipes through the notifications on her phone. She even went as far as blocking her work-related apps for the duration of her leave.

She enjoys her meal peacefully, catching up on her dramas and feeling satisfied with the product of the previous day's hard work.

Something about hours of physical activity without having to think about much was very healing. She was right. She needed a whole day with no thinking.

Last night, although she arrived home late, Seulgi joined her in the living room after changing into a hoodie and track pants.

She was being self-indulgent, curling up to Seulgi and lying on a pillow on the older girl's lap. For once she tried not to think about how her actions would be interpreted and enjoyed her warmth and affection.

It was a bummer to wake up alone in her bed this morning. She didn't even remember how she got there.

All she knew was that her cramps were killing her.

The pain relief kit she received from her team for her birthday was hilarious but it's been pretty handy. She didn't know if she should be touched or embarrassed that they noticed she was always experiencing some kind of pain.

When the medicine kicked in, she thought about how well she slept the night before. Seulgi visited her dreams again last night, but it was more innocent this time. Self-indulgent, still. The kiss on the cheek even felt so real.

As she finishes cleaning the dishes, she hears a ring on the doorbell. She wasn't expecting any guests, so it was surprising, but it turned out to be a package.

"Congratulations, Creative Lead Park Sooyoung," the card read.

She picks up her phone to thank the sender through text, sending a photo as proof. An assortment of vitamins and supplements. Is this the kind of gifts adults get?

Joy recorded an audio message saying "Thank you, Joohyun unnie" and sent it right away.

"Thank you" felt a little empty considering how much the older girl contributed to this milestone.

Joohyun sent her a voice message back, congratulating her and telling Joy that this is the result of her hard work. All she did was "collect the evidence" and make a suggestion.

The two make plans to have grilled meat together some time this weekend and, by Sooyoung's request, just between the two of them.

If she's not ready to talk to either of the two elephants in the room, she thinks at least talking to Joohyun could prod her in the right direction.

The two chat for a bit to catch up on lost time. Joohyun's film was wrapping up soon and to Joy's surprise, she found it funny when she heard the younger girl went off on her cousin.

"She needs to be humbled," the actress jokes. "I love her but she was a bit of a brat growing up."

"Yerim is doing really well," Joy says. "I think she can get into any agency she wants when she graduates."

"Her dream is to start her own but I keep telling her she has to learn the ropes first." Joohyun shares. "Hey, I have to go now. See you on Saturday!"

"See you, unnie. Take care!"

Sooyoung decides to laze around the couch while she thinks of something to do. She already finished cleaning her bedroom and the shared areas and the laundry is all done too.

Maybe she can call Seulgi? If she's not busy. Or maybe she can text first. She decides on sending her a photo of her lunch and leans back on the sofa.

She's close to falling asleep when her phone rings. Before she left, she told the team to call only for emergencies.

It's an unknown number but Joy picks up the phone to be sure.

“This is Park Sooyoung, Joy Park. I'm currently on leave. Is this an urgent matter?"

“Hello, this is Katie. Kim Yerim,” the intern says from the other end of the line. “I’m sorry for calling you from an unknown number but I’m at a payphone.”

Now this was unusual. “Did your phone die? Is everything alright?”

“Uh huh. I mean, yes. My phone is charging right now at a cafe. We were shooting along the street so… I’m sorry. I should have brought a power bank.”

“No, no, don’t apologize,” Sooyoung tells her. “Why did you call?”

The intern is quiet for half a minute and Joy starts feeling uneasy.

“Seulgi unnie, I mean, Director Kang experienced lightheadedness and shortness of breath earlier. She fainted on set."

“What? What happened?” That doesn't seem right. Seulgi is one of the fittest people she knows.

Yerim exhales and clicks her tongue. “We’re not sure but the medic who attended to her says it's probably fatigue-related."

Fatigue. Of course this would happen to Kang Seulgi. She's been overworking herself for weeks. Even when Joy asked her about it, she'd just laugh and say she's alright. Sooyoung curses in her head and begins pacing around the apartment.

“She didn't want me to tell you but I thought you should know."

Joy ran a hand through her hair and sighed. “Thank you for calling me about it.”

“Don’t worry about the project—”

(Joy is not worried about the project.)

“We got enough photos. I took over for the last location, I hope my photos are good enough.”

(Joy is worried about a certain idiot.)

“I’m sure you did great,” she manages to reply, trying to recall the photos in the intern’s portfolio for her application. She wasn’t just saying it. There were areas for improvement, but it was good.

(Seulgi. Seulgi. Seulgi. That idiot Kang Seulgi.)

“I’m just super grateful Wendy unnie noticed,” the younger girl shares, pulling Joy out of her thoughts.

She kind of forgot about that part.

“She knows first aid so she did what she could to help until the medic arrived.”

“Oh really? That’s great to hear…”

Joy starts to wonder if the universe thinks she's a joke. She can't have good things without something bad coming up after.

This is what you get for avoiding your problems, she tells herself.

“A literal angel,” the intern continued as Joy curses herself in her head. Sooyoung needs to come up with a way to make her stop talking without exposing herself. "They seemed to have gotten close over the project and, I think you know we've known each other for a while. Everyone looked after her so you don't have to worry."

What was she supposed to say about that?

“Yeah,” she says meaninglessly. Everyone likes Seulgi. How is Joy special? "Send me the address when you get to your phone. I’ll get there as soon as I can. I can drive her back to the apartment in her car.”

“You’re the best,” Yerim says with a smile in her voice. “Okay, I better get going. See you!”

“See you."

“And not her,” she adds when the call ends. Sooyoung screams into her hands in frustration. This situation is straight out of her nightmares but she has to get to Seulgi.

She receives the address just in time, making it to the lobby of the apartment as fast as she could.

Should she call? She dials Seulgi's number a few times before someone answers. It's not Seulgi.

"Hello?"

Joy squeezes her eyes shut and says nothing. Of course.

"Sooyoung…"

It's been so, so long. What does she say? "I'm sorry. I didn't notice the call connected."

"She's okay. Just resting. Are you on your way?"

She makes a quick affirming sound and ends the call after saying thank you. Maybe she should have called Yerim instead.

The call really messed with her mood. She was already upset about Seulgi being relentless with her reminders to take care when she couldn't even do it with herself.

Hell. She might need one more day off.

The taxi ride to the location feels agonizingly long. She pays the driver with her transportation card and rushes to look for where Yerim said Seulgi should be.

Sooyoung has to be careful about her reactions. She knows most of the team from work, but also spots new faces who likely belong to the singer's staff.

She knows she has eyes on her, so she gathers all her experience with dealing with clients. The situation calls for professional politeness. Business friendly.

Seungwan has remained so warm and so kind, she notices immediately. There's an ambu bag in her hands, which she assumed was used on Seulgi earlier.

Unsure if she should look at Seungwan, she keeps her eyes on the girl resting on the stretcher.

"Sooyoung."

"Seungwan. Wendy," she says back, keeping her eyes on the sleeping girl.

Business friendly. Polite professionalism.

"Thanks, by the way…" Joy decides to say after a few silent moments.

Wendy mutters something like "no problem", Joy's mind too distracted to hear, and moves to the side.

Sooyoung quickly takes the seat as the other girl vacates it. She hovers a hand over Seulgi's face to test her breathing, then places two fingers against the pulse point under her jaw.

Stable. Seulgi is asleep, but it looks like she can be gently woken up with no trouble.

"Have you told Joohyun unnie?" Joy asks when Yerim approaches.

"I told her we have everything under control. She might visit your apartment later."

Sooyoung nods. "Make sure you get a medical certificate and send it to HR so she can take a few days off. I already asked the other project managers to sort the schedules."

"I'm sorry to call you over here while you're on leave," Yerim says in a small voice.

"You all did what you should," she replies, smiling at the intern and, for a second, at Seungwan.

Seulgi stirs into consciousness when Sooyoung brushes a few stray hairs out of her face, tucking them behind her ear. Look at that stupid, handsome face.

"Am I dead?" she asks, her eyes quickly switching between the three people watching over her. "Is this real?"

"You're not dead, idiot," Sooyoung responds. "Thanks to these two over here."

Seulgi rubs her eyes and mumbles a thank you.

"You and I need to talk about practicing what you preach," the taller girl says, pressing down lightly on Seulgi's nose. It's a good thing she's still mad at the idiot or she could kiss her.

"Ow! Alright."

"Get your things and give me your keys. We're going home and it's your turn to take a few days off. I have to…"

She looks at Seungwan and Yerim, and gestures to Yerim about talking somewhere private.

The two find a semi-private area behind someone's vehicle.

"First of all, thank you," Sooyoung starts. "Second, full disclosure. Seungwan and I are exes, so that was awkward, but I was panicking about Seulgi so I didn't know what to tell you."

Yerim looks up at her with visible panic. "Oh... And I wasn't trying anything with your girlfriend! I'm over my childhood crush on her, I promise."

"What— Seulgi is not my girlfriend."

"That's what everyone in the office is saying?" the younger girl stammers, clearly confused.

God. Office gossip can be insane.

"No?" Yerim tries again. "Was Joohyun unnie at least right about you liking Seulgi unnie?"

"Am I that obvious?" Sooyoung thinks out loud.

Yerim shrugs. "If you have the whole office believe you're dating, probably."

The taller girl sighs and runs a hand through her hair. "So yeah I was out there with my ex and my crush, and earlier you told me they looked like they've gotten close. I need to get us back home right now so we're not done talking yet. Can we arrange a time to meet and talk?"

"Can't we just text..?"

Sooyoung groans. "I prefer talking about important matters in person. I'll take a look at your work schedule and find a time that works for us both. Got it?"

It's not like Yerim has a choice.

When Joy returns to where Seulgi was, she's already smiling. Still a bit pale from what happened, but already laughing with Seungwan.

"Seulgi unnie, let's go?"

Their laughter simmers down and Sooyoung almost feels bad about it. She doesn't hate Seungwan and she didn't do anything wrong.

She can see the panic in Seulgi's eyes, so she braces herself and asks to talk to Seungwan properly. She feels Seulgi's eyes on them as they walk.

God. The situation was too complicated.

"Hey," Wendy starts, visibly uncertain.

"I don't hate you," the taller girl says right away. "I'm grateful you helped Seulgi unnie. I didn't know how to react when I saw you at the event or when you gave me that note or when I realized I had to interact with you today. I still don't."

The singer just blinks at her. "I'm… relieved you don't resent me."

Sooyoung frowns. This girl is still too kind. "There's probably more we need to talk about, but I need to get Seulgi unnie back to our apartment."

("Our apartment." Very bold of her to say to her ex.)

"You have my number, Sooyoung. And I'm sorry."

Joy nods without promising anything. "If it helps, I understand why things happened the way they did. You have a tendency to blame yourself and so do I so… don't, okay?"

The short-haired girl nods, her whole aura changing. As if tension left her body. For a brief moment, they smile warmly at each other.

"We'll talk," Sooyoung tells her.

Seungwan walks away first, her expression quickly changing when a staff member checks on her. She always hated making others worry about her.

The taller girl doesn't even realize she was watching her until Seulgi approaches, telling her she's ready when Joy is.

There's only silence for a while on the drive home, nothing but the sound of the engine and music from the speakers. Seulgi's the first to say anything.

"I'm sorry for ruining your break."

"We have a lot of talking to do," Joy says, more worried than angry now. Her feelings aside, they sure do.

"Tomorrow's already Friday and I accounted for possible extensions when I reallocated your tasks so—"

"Unnie. Worry about yourself first." She's one to talk. She almost laughs at her hypocrisy.

Seulgi frowns. "I'm really sorry. I put you in an awkward situation. I promised to do what I can to keep you out of it and I failed."

"Stop apologizing, please?" Joy asks, finally looking at the other girl when the car slows down at a traffic light.

The older girl nods, mumbling something about Sooyoung being so brave.

Sooyoung laughs weakly. "I'm just happy you're okay."

Neither of them say anything about the way Seulgi smiles after, or how she holds Joy's hand over the gear shift the entire ride home.


	12. Falling into place

The first thing Joy does when they get home is to call her mother. She’s not a doctor, but she IS a nurse and any medical advice will be very much appreciated.

The matriarch of the Park family scolded poor little Kang Seulgi like she was her own child, forcing her to tell the truth about how much stress she’s been in, how little she’s slept, and how she’s survived on Bacchus and little else when she’s not having meals with Joy.

Joy would have listened in to all of it since her mother’s tirades are always creative, enjoyable when you’re not on the receiving end.

In the name of patient confidentiality, as if she wouldn’t be the self-appointed caretaker of this 27 year old baby, Sooyoung was asked to wait in another room for the rest of the call.

As soon as their impromptu phone consultation was over, Joy’s mother sent her some advice and the vitamins and minerals Seulgi would need more of.

She wrote that while supplements would help, integrating foods rich in these nutrients into their daily diet would make it easier to prevent these problems in the future.

Thankfully, Seulgi eats her vegetables. Even the ones she doesn’t like if it’s part of the meal.

The older girl is the better cook between them, but for the next three days it looks like Joy would have to take over.

Any other concerns in her life will have to sit on the backburner. She’ll deal with them later.

“Mino will kill me,” Seulgi pouts when she hears about the company doctor’s orders. Three days of rest.

She had work scheduled throughout the weekend and tomorrow was set to be a busy day as well.

“You will end up doing that to yourself at the rate you’re going,” Joy points out. She sets Seulgi’s dinner on top of a table designed for breakfast in bed and begins to feed her.

“I can feed myself,” the older girl complains, opening her mouth whenever Joy brings a spoonful close anyway.

“Your mom said she doesn’t want to strain you further by making you go home to Ansan so you’re stuck with me.”

Seulgi laughs and tells her she said it as if it was a bad thing. 

“It’s not, but you won’t be able to go outside as you like.”

The older girl shrugs. “There’s a typhoon battering the country this weekend anyway.”

Sooyoung has not bothered to check the weather, what with her many other concerns. She tells Seulgi that Joohyun was on her way to drop off a few things and to check on her.

“Knowing her, it’s not just a few things.”

Seulgi was right.

Joohyun nearly kicks the door open when Sooyoung unlocks it, immediately placing the bags she brought on the kitchen island to storm Seulgi’s room and begin nagging her.

The poor big baby has been scolded so many times tonight, it’s a surprise she hasn’t cried yet.

There were groceries, high-end meal kits, boxes and bottles of supplements, and a 1,000-piece puzzle set plus some other toys.

“What are the toys for?” Joy asks, picking them up and inspecting each one. Her family would have never bought these for her as a child.

“Seulgi is a literal child,” Joohyun says with a serious face. “She gets bored easily and will not survive on browsing the internet alone.”

The actress laughs at Joy’s speechlessness and proceeds to educate her about the different things she brought to their home. She tells Joy she can have some for herself since they’re both such workaholics.

Sooyoung quietly admires how well Irene carries herself. She commands attention as if she's 6 feet tall, standing in the kitchen with confidence in her cream-colored cardigan and dark slacks. She got light bangs for the film she’s currently working on, the whole look exuding maturity and elegance.

“You’re working from home until Seulgi is deemed fit to work?” Joohyun asks.

Sooyoung nods, saying she’s surprised HR even allowed it considering the hands-on nature of their work. She had to figure out how to get her work laptop before Monday. Maybe she could ask someone to drop it off.

“Please marry Seulgi. You’re so good to her,” Joohyun says with a smile so cheeky it's hard to tell if she's serious.

“I don’t think that’s up to me,” Joy responds, hoping it comes off as a joke.

The older girl smiles sympathetically and touches her shoulder. “Are you still on for Saturday?”

“I don’t think I can leave her alone here…"

Joohyun nods, understanding. “Is she asleep?”

“Pretty sure you drained her with your nagging when you arrived," Sooyoung teases.

“Then let’s sit down in the living room and talk here.”

If her expression isn’t already showing everything, the way Joy hits her shin on the coffee table betrayed her nerves.

“Let’s cut to the chase,” Joohyun starts. “You like Seulgi. Anyone with eyes and ears can tell.”

Sooyoung laughs awkwardly and nods. No point denying now.

“Yerim said the whole company thinks you’re dating,” the actress continues.

“Do you think she knows?” the younger girl asks.

Joohyun leans against the sofa. “She’s had so many admirers so she’d know whenever someone likes her. Most of them are more straightforward than you are. But there’s one thing that’s stopping her from thinking that about you.”

“Is it Wendy?” Sooyoung asks, surprised she even mentioned her first.

“That’s a whole different issue,” the older girl replies. “I’m not supposed to say this on her behalf, but she likes you too. And it scares her.”

As much as she didn’t want to think about it, Joy wasn’t surprised to find out their feelings are mutual. There were too many signs, their friendship too intense for it to be anything less than romantic.

“I’m not expecting you two to confess and get together right away,” Irene says when she sees Joy is still pretty much speechless. “You’d be really good for each other if you just get over your barriers.”

“Our barriers?” Joy repeats, curious what Seulgi’s are. Irene doesn't enlighten her.

“Yerim told me about the whole Seungwan thing today.”

Of course she did. Sooyoung sighs and tells her about her conversation with Yerim, and her inevitable confrontation with Wendy in more detail.

“I think… Seulgi unnie is worried about what I think about her and Seungwan being friends.”

Joohyun raises her brows. “You may be right. She doesn’t have a lot of friends who really get her, you know? She probably feels bad about making a great friend thinking she would have to cut her off if she wants to be with you.”

“I told her I don’t care if they became friends. When she first mentioned they were working together, I mean.”

“It’s probably not just about how you would feel either,” the older girl points out. “Knowing her, she’s worried about how Wendy would feel about her new friend dating her ex too.”

Sooyoung buries her face in a throw pillow and whines about how complicated this all is.

“I just want to date my cool sexy roommate who’s kind of stupid sometimes,” she complains, laughing at herself.

Joohyun finds herself laughing too. “I can already predict her concerns. You’ll be her first serious relationship. She’s a person who needs her space, although you’re already dealing with that as friends and roommates.”

“She’ll worry if she’s good enough to give me what I need, and worry how she can compete with my ‘one great love’,” Sooyoung adds.

They’re similar in ways, sure. But they’re two different people, and Sooyoung who wants to be with Seulgi is a whole different person from the Sooyoung who dated Seungwan.

At this point of her life, she thinks Seulgi is just the kind of person she wants to be with.

“I feel like I robbed you of a conversation you should have had with Seulgi,” Irene says with an apologetic smile. “But it will be different when you actually talk to her. There's more to say but I'll leave that to her. What’s your plan?”

The younger girl stares at the floor. “I need to talk to Yerim about what she knows about their friendship. And I have to really think about what I want to say to Seungwan.”

Joohyun continues to look at her as she speaks. “You already said the things that would dispel what probably gnaws on her conscience the most: you don’t hate her and you understand why things happened the way they did. I think you should be convincing yourself instead that it wasn’t your fault.”

“I don’t think I would have been able to tell her that if I didn’t believe it myself,” Sooyoung counters. “The thing about… it was never really my fault or hers.”

“I’m happy we’re getting some real progress here, Sooyoung,” Joohyun says with a smile. “But I need to go, I have an early shoot tomorrow. Unlike someone here I actually try to get adequate rest.”

Joy laughs and helps her get ready to go.

“Text me if you need anything.”

The younger girl says she will and thanks her for her time today, apologizing for keeping her long. It's been a long day and when she checks her phone, it’s already past 10PM.

A long, warm bath is very much overdue. She treats herself to a relaxing one, listening to music and closing her eyes to think of nothing and nothing else. She focuses on how the water feels and the scents that fill the bathroom before stepping out as her playlist for the occasion ends.

When she’s all dressed and ready for bed, she gives in to the temptation to check on Seulgi.

“Unnie?”

Huh. For once, her bedroom isn’t locked. Maybe Joohyun forgot to lock it on her way out.

She takes a peek and sees Seulgi is wrapped up in her fluffy blanket, hair pushed up with a pink bunny hairband. Just as she’s about to close the door, the older girl calls out to her.

“Sooyoung-ah.”

“Yes, unnie?”

“Come here,” she says quietly.

Sooyoung is confused, but she follows along and sits on the edge of the bed to get a closer look at Seulgi. “What’s up?”

“You smell really nice,” Seulgi giggles.

The younger girl instinctively checks her temperature, just to see if she’s delirious from a high fever. It doesn’t seem to be the case.

“Thank you,” she says, confused. “What do you need me for?”

“I want a hug,” Seulgi says with a frown. She probably can’t see Sooyoung that well now that she has her contacts out, but she looks at her intently anyway.

When she leans over to give Seulgi her hug, still very confused, the older girl whines. “Get under the blankets and lie down with me.”

Joy is flustered, unsure, but she gives in. “Cuddle. The word you’re looking for is cuddle, unnie.”

Seulgi just nods, smiling happily when Sooyoung relents. She doesn’t know where to put her arms, it’s been a while since she got to do this with anyone. Joy settles for letting Seulgi rest on her shoulder, an arm wrapped around her waist and one leg wrapped across Joy’s hips. It almost makes her laugh when she realizes how tiny the girl is when they’re like this.

“Hug me back,” Seulgi complains and Joy immediately obeys, amused. She turns slightly to the side and hooks an ankle around one of Seulgi’s, pulling her into a more intimate embrace.

“Is this alright?” Joy asks, enjoying the warmth herself.

The older girl nods and shifts slightly to make herself more comfortable. “Sleep here.”

“I would say take me to dinner first but you already have,” Sooyoung jokes.

She doesn’t fall asleep right away. She wanted to enjoy this moment awake a few minutes more, wondering if every night will be like this if they finally get together.

Sooyoung wants it really badly, but thinks they should wait until they’re ready.

When she’s certain the older girl has fallen asleep, she continues to watch her, as if memorizing all of her features, and finally admits to herself she’s in love with her.

Guilt and shame be damned. She lets herself give Seulgi a kiss on the forehead.

(When she finally closes her eyes, she misses the way Seulgi briefly opens hers and smiles.)


	13. Favors

Even if she’s not working today, Joy wakes up at her usual 7AM, initially confused when she sees herself wrapped in her roommate’s arms.

How is Seulgi still so cute with her mouth hanging open in her sleep?

Yesterday was a bit too much, so she hopes today is better. She starts making breakfast out of last night’s leftover rice and some side dishes to feel a little more normal. She’s not hungry but it's not easy to give up established routines. 

When she’s done, she returns to check on Seulgi who seems pretty upset she was left alone in bed.

“I made breakfast,” she explains, laughing at how cute the other girl is before crawling back to bed. “How was your sleep?”

“Really well,” Seulgi says smugly. “Very comfortable, thank you.”

"My services aren't free, you know," she jokes.

“I’ll repay you,” the other girl jokes back. “Hey, Yerim will be coming in a bit to get the keys to my office. I was notified you’ll be working from home so you’d need to get your laptop, right?”

“Yeah, I definitely need to work on what I can remotely,” she answers. She always forgets that Seulgi has access to all that information. “Thank you, by the way.”

“But,” Seulgi adds. “I want to sleep more so can you give it to her when she arrives?”

“Only if you eat breakfast with me first.”

Seulgi grins excitedly. She didn't have to ask.

It’s tuna kimchi fried rice with a sunny side up egg, just as Seulgi likes it. She instantly lights up when she sees the dining table and starts eating, remembering to thank Sooyoung a few bites in.

Today’s cook is grateful she seems to be enjoying it. You can never go wrong with the basics. She eats just as happily and pours them a glass of orange juice each, asking how Seulgi is feeling.

She nearly forgets the trouble she went through yesterday as she watches Seulgi eat happily like this.

When Yerim arrives to pick up the keys, Seulgi’s already back to sleep. Sooyoung is sure of that. The older girl didn't show any sign of consciousness when she tried to tell her that the girl was here.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to meet you as originally planned,” Sooyoung says as she gives Yerim the keyring. “Can you stay a little longer? Tell them I need to discuss the project with you and you’ll be in at 11.”

“Sure, Ms. Park,” the intern says cautiously, removing her shoes to follow Sooyoung into the living room.

“You can call me unnie.”

Yerim glows with a smile. “Joy unnie? Sooyoung unnie?”

“Whichever is more comfortable to you.”

The intern nod excitedly. “So are we actually going to talk about the project or…”

Sooyoung laughs. “A little. I just want to tell you you’re doing a good job. I want to review the photos you took on Seulgi’s behalf when I get my laptop back.”

“Thank you, unnie. Well… the teasers for the show are already out on social media and articles about the upcoming show will be out today. The reason this project is taking longer than expected is their company decided to announce the release of her EP at the show. So we’re working with them for that as well.”

“Is that what yesterday’s photoshoot was for?”

Yerim nods. “She already has two singles out, both are still hanging out in the Top 20, but the album will have six new songs.”

“When’s the event?” Joy asks, fidgeting with a Rubik’s cube she found on the coffee table. She still remembers how to solve one. Seungwan taught her.

“On Wednesday,” the intern replies. “Followed by two weeks of teasers for the EP. Everything is on schedule, so far. Ten oppa is working on the posters and album jacket. We're waiting for the client's input on the initial drafts.”

Sooyoung hums, clicking her tongue when she notices a mistake in her moves. She fixes it before replying. If she took too long, Yerim doesn’t say anything.

“Seulgi unnie and I will be back to work by then. We'll be in the office by Tuesday, actually."

Yerim nods in acknowledgement, watching Joy work on the Rubik's cube. “I know this is an awkward thing to ask, but will you be attending the show?”

The older girl laughs weakly. “We already kind of talked yesterday so it would not be that bad. It might be good for me. I listened to her singles when she was still working on them. Back when we were still together.”

“You had Wendy Shon Premium,” Yerim tries to joke and it actually makes Sooyoung laugh.

“Yeah, but that’s long expired.”

She places the finished Rubik’s cube back on the table and smiles.

“Tell me what you know about her friendship with Seulgi unnie.”

“Well,” Yerim starts with uncertainty. “Wendy unnie is really nice, so it’s not just Seulgi unnie she’s gotten close with while working on all this.” The younger girl sounds defensive, apprehensive. Joy feels bad for making a horrible first impression.

“Does she still bake for people?” she asks, trying to lighten the mood.

The intern nods. “Her brownies are really good. She made a big batch to share with everyone just the other day. We’ve had meals together, as a team and one-on-one. She… makes me want to pick up songwriting again.”

“Tell me if you want something to drink, by the way,” Sooyoung says. Yerim is still a guest, after all. “Songwriting, you say?”

“It’s not much but I have a few songs written out… some are just lyrics. Can I have some water?”

“Maybe you can contribute for her next album,” Joy suggests sincerely. She gets up to get a glass of water from the kitchen, complimenting Yerim on her way back. “You have so many talents, do you know that? Keep on doing what you like.”

The younger girl blushes and says Wendy has actually offered to let her work on a song. “But about her and Seulgi unnie, they have one-on-one meals together too.”

“What do they talk about? She's not usually good at one-on-ones with new people…"

Yerim pauses to think. “It could be anything, they really get along with each other well. They have jokes I don’t understand but I think it’s a generational thing.”

“How old are you, again?”

“They’re five years older than me,” Yerim answers. She's three years younger than Sooyoung, then. “I don’t think their friendship is anything you have to worry about, by the way.”

“I’m a rather jealous person,” Sooyoung confesses. “So… I guess that’s nice to hear.”

The intern giggles and somehow Joy feels relieved that she seems more relaxed. “I think Seulgi unnie likes you back, you know.”

“Joohyun unnie told me,” she says, smiling to herself. Her ego is so big, if she could only tell the world about it. If Seulgi could only tell her herself.

She squints at the younger girl in front of her. “You look like you want to say something.”

The intern presses her lips into a thin line. “I think… I think Wendy unnie knows that Seulgi unnie likes you. They were eating at a separate table during a team dinner to talk privately but I thought I heard them mention your name.”

Now that’s a surprise. “I guess that’s something I need to ask Wendy about.”

“...isn’t she the same age as Seulgi unnie?”

Joy nods, “I’m sorry. I got used to not calling her unnie. Even yesterday… she doesn’t seem to mind.”

“What did you talk about yesterday? If you’re comfortable with sharing.”

“I told her the most important things, I guess. I don’t hate her. I understand things weren’t meant to be.”

“Then what’s left to talk about?” Yerim asks, genuinely curious.

“It might be awkward for her if her ex and her new close friend starts dating,” Sooyoung replies. “Just need to catch up and clear any questions we might have. I owe it to Seulgi unnie, you know?”

“Owe what?”

Sooyoung lowers her voice. “I’m in love with her." She can't even say it without blushing. "God. It feels good to say that. Like something’s been lifted off my shoulders.”

She’s smiling like crazy and the younger girl looks really amused to see this side of her.

“Anyway. I’m in love with her. She deserves someone who doesn’t have anything holding them back. So,” Sooyoung continues. “Before I embarrass myself further, thank you for your time. You should probably get going so you can arrive at the office on time.”

Yerim gives her a big smile and gets up to leave. “See you later when I drop off your laptop.”

Not being allowed to work doesn’t mean not being allowed to upskill, Sooyoung thinks. She listens to a podcast about the current trends in advertising while she diligently follows the instructions on a fancy meal kit Joohyun got them.

Either their friend is making fun of them or showing them mercy because the instructions on this one have detailed photos for every step. It will be difficult to get anything wrong if you just follow it closely.

She hears the shower running from the bathroom. Seulgi must be up again already.

By the time the meal is finished, Seulgi appears in the kitchen with her hair tied up in a bun and looking comfy in an oversized sweater.

“Woah. Sooyoung, you made this yourself?” she asks as she takes her seat on the dining table.

Sooyoung shows her the meal kit’s packaging and they both laugh. “Joohyun unnie is a savior.”

“Did Yerim drop by, by the way?”

The taller girl nods. “She stayed a bit to discuss the project but there’s nothing to worry about, everything is on track.”

“I hope she works for us after graduation,” Seulgi says as she digs in. “With you getting promoted, we need someone really good. There are really big shoes to fill.”

“You flatter me. Am I that good?”

The older girl nods. "You’re the best.”

Sooyoung bites back a smile. “Yerim is multi-talented. I only have a strategic eye.”

“I think your fashion sense and level of taste is really good,” Seulgi says. “Not a lot of people actually have good taste… Accept my compliments, please?"

Sooyoung pretends to not believe her, laughing when Seulgi starts to look at her with puppy eyes.

“Hey…" Sooyoung says after some silence. "I want to ask you something.”

The older girl looks up at her and asks what it was.

“About yesterday.”

“I wanted to ask you about that too…" Seulgi admits shyly. "You go first.”

“I wasn’t bluffing when I said I have no problem about you and her being friends," she starts, smiling so the older girl knows she means it. "Prior to yesterday, did she know about us? That we’re roommates, I mean.”

Seulgi scratches her head. “Yeah, she knows about us. As roommates. As you said. Yes.”

Now that she knows Seulgi likes her back, it’s hard not to notice when she’s being obvious. Sooyoung tries not to show how amused she is.

“Did you two ever talk about me being her ex, then?”

“...I told her that I know. Then she asked me how much I know. So I told her what I know.”

Sooyoung sighs, and asks if that means she talked about how torn up she was for over a year too.

“Yeah… I’m sorry if I wasn't supposed to. She was really sorry when she heard about all of it though."

"Including the part where I'd randomly cry about random couples on public transport?" Sooyoung asks, laughing at herself now.

"She almost cried talking about how bad she felt, which made me cry, so both of us ended up crying.”

“You two are so…” Joy shakes her head. Sensitive girls. Or crybabies? Is that her type? “She said that? That she’s sorry?”

Seulgi nods, laughing at herself now. “Seungwan seems to be happy about how much you’ve grown. I think I got carried away talking about it because… I'm really proud of you."

"You're proud of me?" the younger girl asks, touched.

"Hey. I always tell you I'm proud of you," Seulgi responds. "Seungwan says she hopes you can find the right person.”

The younger girl frowns, looking up to study Seulgi's solemn expression. “I hope she does too. She wasn’t bad for me. We just weren’t right for where we were headed. But I think I’ll still have to talk to her properly. So I can be right for the right person."

So she can be right for Seulgi, she means.

“What did you talk about yesterday?” Seulgi asks, her voice noticeably quieter.

After Ten who asked for an update over the phone yesterday, Seulgi was the fourth person to ask about the conversation.

She tells her the same thing: She doesn’t hate Seungwan. She doesn’t blame anyone because there’s a good reason they ended up the way they did.

“You’ve really grown up,” Seulgi coos, clutching her chest. She jokes about Joy not needing her anymore, to which the younger girl replied that she likes being with Seulgi not because of what she can do for her.

“We’re in this for life,” she says, and it makes Seulgi smile.

“No backsies.”

“You’re really a child," Sooyoung whines. "Okay. No backsies.”

They do a pinky promise, laughing. “For life.”

“Now, let’s go do the 1,000-piece puzzle Joohyun unnie got you,” Sooyoung teases.

“I’m no good at puzzles,” Seulgi warns. “You’ll end up doing most of the work.”

Sooyoung says she doesn’t mind. It can be fun.

It's a good excuse for her to be really close to Seulgi for hours and hours.


	14. Piecing it together

The packaging on this puzzle set says it takes up to 10 hours to finish. They’re two grown adults in the creative field, so you’d imagine they would not struggle so much, but they’re already well into their fourth hour.

As expected, Sooyoung has done most of the work so far. There would be times where Seulgi reaches a eureka moment and gets all fired up, completing more than a couple square inches of the set, then she gets stuck again.

“Puzzles uplift and let your heart down like this,” Seulgi sighs, holding a piece in different angles to see where it would fit in what they’ve accomplished so far.

They’re both lying on their stomachs now, foreheads bumping into each other often. Faces dangerously close. They have lost count of how many times they called the other an idiot, if anyone was keeping count at all.

Sometimes when Joy’s brain feels a little too fried, she stops and looks at Seulgi's face to recharge. Taking note of the slope of her forehead and nose and the curve of her lips, the bottom one slightly forward and her chin dimple showing while she’s deep in thought.

Seulgi is usually sweaty, that is very much established, but even in the air-conditioned apartment there are droplets dripping down her temple and neck.

Sooyoung gets up and returns with a face towel to wipe her roommate's sweat off.

“Do you want me to put some baby powder on you, too?” she asks, giggling as Seulgi’s expression transforms when she finally figures out where the piece should go.

The younger girl is too excited to wait for her response and leaves to get the powder from her bedroom. She sprinkles some on her hands and applies it on the focused girl, who presses her soft cheeks into Sooyoung’s palms as her hands move across her face and neck. She's so good at appreciating affection and Joy loves giving it to her.

Sooyoung nearly melts as Seulgi looks up at her with her precious eye smile.

“Thank you,” the older girl says, working on the puzzle at double speed as if she’s trying to chase the inspiration that struck her earlier, fearing it would run out.

“I’m not done,” the other girl responds. She lifts the collar of Seulgi’s shirt from the back, sprinkling baby powder down the space it creates, and puts her hand inside to spread it.

When it wasn’t working as well as she hoped, she got up and threw a leg over the back of Seulgi's thighs so she's hovering over her, her shins on either side of Seulgi's legs.

“Can I lift this up? If not, I can just put my hands underneath it,” Sooyoung asks, tugging lightly on the bottom of Seulgi's sweatshirt. She thanks her legs for being strong enough so she's not putting all her weight on the smaller girl's thighs. Maybe doing squats as she brushed her teeth was useful after all.

She swore she saw the older girl tense a little before nodding. “You can,” Seulgi answers anyway, getting up on her forearms to lift her torso from the pillow she was resting on.

Joy decides to do it quickly, coughing to disguise the way she gasped as the toned, golden skin is revealed. With the both of them home all day, it was expected that it was bare underneath that sweatshirt.

Sooyoung reminds herself to trace the curve of Seulgi’s waist only with her eyes and get right to what she intended to do. She sprinkled more baby powder across her roommate’s back, spreading it evenly with her hands. When Seulgi shudders as her hands move across her back, neither of them say anything.

“Can you…” Seulgi asks when Sooyoung reaches forward to roll her shirt back down. “Can you massage my back? Even just a little. It’s starting to hurt from how we’ve been for hours now.”

“Sure,” she replies, a little too eager. She winces at her enthusiasm and begins working her hands across Seulgi’s shoulders and back.

There’s a satisfying crack as she abruptly presses her palms down the middle of the older girl’s shoulder blades.

Even her shoulder blades are pretty, Joy observes, finding the knots on Seulgi's back and trying her best to work them out.

Sooyoung should not be thinking about the sounds that her roommate is making. They’re not lewd, she tells herself. Just whimpers and groans, grunts when they’re warranted. It's the moans that surprise her.

“You like it when it hurts?” she teases, moving her hands down Seulgi's spine to massage her lower back. She hopes the joke would ease the atmosphere for them both.

Seulgi grins and nods. That was unexpected. “Do you?”

“Hmm, there’s two perverts in this house then,” Sooyoung teases, quickly dipping her thumbs under the waistband of the older girl’s shorts as she presses into her lower back. Perhaps she went a little too low. She feels the tell-tale soft upward curve of Seulgi's ass and hurriedly goes back to rubbing circles upward, embarrassed.

Now’s the time to pretend she didn't notice the way Seulgi reacted to that.

She rolls the older girl’s shirt back down when she's done, but not without playfully pressing on one of Seulgi's more noticeable moles like one would with a doorbell.

Satisfied with her work, she falls forward to press her weight against Seulgi's back.

“Sooyoung, please,” Seulgi begs, laughing. “Let me breathe. The puzzle is almost done. Get off of me and help.”

“I need your thoughts on asphyxiation since we’re on the topic,” the taller girl says, playfully biting the air right next to Seulgi's ear. The action makes Seulgi quiver and Joy tries to mask her smug expression when she rolls off.

Seulgi looks at her with a straight face and answers her question, saying it’s something she’ll consider with someone she trusts. Joy raises her brows and Seulgi laughs at her reaction.

“Come on, let’s get this done,” the older girl declares, turning her attention back to the toy spread out on the floor before them.

“We should probably sit before your back acts up again, auntie,” Sooyoung jokes.

The other girl huffs her cheeks as she changes position. “You won’t be laughing when you’re my age in two years.”

Joy has to agree, but it’s hard to tell how old Seulgi is since she can be such a big baby.

Only proving her point, Seulgi sticks her tongue out at her and whines about Joy still not helping.

“Hey! Don’t throw pieces at me and complain when you can’t find them later!” the younger girl yells out.

They manage to finish the puzzle set on good terms, spending a good half hour cuddling on the floor to recover use of their brain cells before one of them thinks to take pictures to send to Joohyun as a thank you.

Their friend is happy to hear about their success, getting on a video call with the two. The roommates spent most of it bickering over each other’s contributions.

“She gave me a really good back massage, though, so I forgive her for bullying me,” Seulgi brags, earning a brow raise from Joohyun. Sooyoung makes a face at the older girl upon seeing her reaction.

“I asked Yerim to pick up some fried chicken for you two on her way there,” the eldest of the three shares. “I’m sorry to make her the unofficial errands girl but the film is close to wrapping up. I’ll meet all of you soon.”

Seulgi just laughs. “Unnie, Sooyoung and I will be going to Wendy’s event on Wednesday. Are you coming?”

The actress looks at Joy before looking back at Seulgi. “I’d love to. Sooyoung is okay with it?”

Joy shrugs. “It could be fun. I might talk to her before the event just to get it over with.”

“You didn’t tell me that,” Seulgi says, pouting at her.

“I just thought of it now. And do I have to tell you everything?”

Her roommate looks at her blankly for a second. “Right.”

“You two, don’t fight. You’re still stuck with each other for a few more days,” the actress says with a serious tone, diffusing the tension.

“We’re not fighting,” the two say at the same time. “Jinx. Jinx again. Damn it.”

Joohyun laughs at them and tells them to take care, have a good dinner. “Go on now, kiss and make up. Bye.”

Seulgi feigns annoyance as Sooyoung grabs her cheeks to kiss the top of her head.

“All good?” the youngest asks, laughing.

Irene laughs and gives them a thumbs up. “Alright, bye. Have a good night.”

The two race to the door when the doorbell rings not too long after. As soon as the door opens, they quickly empty Yerim's hands. Joy takes her laptop and the box of chicken while Seulgi takes a paper bag and a binder of files related to the ongoing project.

"Come, join us for dinner," Seulgi says, not wanting to send her off right away.

"I'm supposed to meet my friends," the intern replies. "You owe me sushi when you return to the office."

The older girl only ruffles the top of Yerim's head. "What's in this paper bag?"

"Oh. Wendy unnie dropped by the office hoping someone could give it to you two."

"There's some for me?" Sooyoung asks, looking up from her laptop. Routine is hard to break, she's already checking all the recent updates on the projects she's involved with.

Yerim nods. "There are notes for you both. I didn't read them, don't worry."

Seulgi picks hers out of the bag and reads it out loud. "Get well soon, dummy. Eat right and sleep well. Take your vitamins. Don't give Sooyoung a headache."

The younger two laugh and Yerim peeks at the card. It actually says exactly that.

"What does mine say?" Sooyoung asks, halfway through reading relevant updates. She has comments on the recent developments so she compiles them in an email that's scheduled to send tomorrow morning.

The older girl looks at her for a second before taking the note out of the bag. "Are you sure you want me to read this? It might be private."

Joy sighs. "Just read it, I trust you anyway."

"Including me?" Yerim asks.

"I'll ask Joohyun unnie for blackmail material if you betray me," she deadpans.

Seulgi laughs and says she can help with that. "Alright. Here it goes."

"Sooyoung, I'm deeply sorry if I caused you stress yesterday but I'm grateful we talked. You have no idea how much that meant to me and I wish you all the best. Please enjoy the brownies. Hoping we can talk more when you're ready, Seungwan."

"That… that's nice," Joy comments. She absent-mindedly scrolls through the non-work channels on their office's chat app. You know how it only takes you 6 minutes to finish something you've been putting off for ages? Everything suddenly feels like that.

"We need a test taster so we know she didn't put any love potion in this," Seulgi jokes, shoving a brownie into Yerim's mouth. "How is it?"

The intern holds up a hand, asking them to wait. She needs to chew and swallow properly before talking. "It's the same as usual. I mean, it's great. Nothing weird."

"Perfect, we're safe," the older girl laughs. She takes one for herself and hands one to Sooyoung.

"I think we should eat a proper meal before dessert," she says, looking at the brownie Seulgi was holding in front of her mouth.

"Nonsense. Eat this and tell me if she's improved," Seulgi says in protest, pushing it into Joy's mouth. "God. Your mouth is so big."

Yerim nearly chokes.

Sooyoung slaps Seulgi's hand away and tries to do as she's asked. "Yeah, this is definitely an improvement. And she was already good before."

"Considering you are saying this now that you're no longer in love with her, it must be really good," the director says, words teasing but her gaze warm. "We'll thank her ourselves, Yerim. You can go now."

The intern sighs in relief and heads off. Sooyoung had half a mind to give her taxi money and a little extra for her troubles.

"₩100,000? You're too generous," Seulgi gasps.

"I know that's just spare change to you, but Yerim is a university student."

"She already gets an allowance!" the older girl protests. "₩1,000,000 a month, on top of what she gets from her parents and Joohyun unnie too."

"Where was this opportunity when I was in university?" Sooyoung asks in genuine surprise, shutting her laptop off and putting it aside.

Seulgi teases her for not looking for paid internships hard enough. There are even companies who pay above minimum wage.

"Unpaid internships are just evil," she complains as she takes her seat at the table and takes mandatory pictures of their gifts, sending thanks to the respective senders.

"Sooyoung-ah. I don't want to pressure you, but you should send your thanks too."

"I already thanked Joohyun unnie," Sooyoung responds, already on her third piece of chicken.

The older girl quickly snatches Joy's phone and opens her messaging app to confirm.

"Text her," she says, handing the phone back to her with Wendy's number typed in.

Seulgi opens a bottle of Coca-Cola as she waits. "I thought you planned on talking to her before Wednesday? Just say thank you for the brownies. And tell her I'm being a good girl."

"A good girl," Sooyoung repeats in a mocking tone. "Okay. Fine. Look, I texted."

"Hi, Seungwan. This is Sooyoung. Thanks for the brownies, I'm also glad we talked. Don't worry about Seulgi. She's a little stressful but nothing I can't handle," the text read.

"A little stressful?" the older girl pouts. "I'm a really good patient, I think."

Sooyoung makes a face. "You treat me like room service."

Seulgi shakes her head. "You don't get cuddles with room service."

"Do you want me to burp you after dinner too?" Joy teases, threatening to flick the other girl's forehead. Doing all this is her pleasure, she's also being self-indulgent, but she wouldn't say that out loud.

"She replied."

Sooyoung sighs and opens the message. "Hi, Sooyoung. I'm glad to hear you're both okay. I'm sorry about Seulgi. By any chance, are you going to my performance this Wednesday?"

She replies that yes, she is going with Seulgi. Before she presses send, her roommate looks up at her with a questioning look. Defeated, she adds, "I think it would be best for us to talk before then. When will you be available?"

"Too professional," Seulgi comments. "Are you two going to follow parliamentary procedure when you meet?"

"When's the best time to meet and talk?" Sooyoung reads out loud as she edits the text, rolling her eyes at her roommate.

The older girl gives her a big smile when the two finalize a time and date. "See. That wasn't too hard. I can't believe this took you over a year."

"Shut up and eat," the younger girl mumbles, pushing a drumstick into Seulgi's mouth.

Tuesday, after their first shift back at the office. It's a café neither of them have been to, but one Seulgi suggested because it can offer them more privacy than most places.

It pays to be careful. Seungwan is still rising as a newly debuted singer and Sooyoung was set to take on a bigger role, with a magazine interview scheduled for next week. There should be no room for anyone to gossip.

If anyone needs to know how to keep their private life private, build a successful career without any real scandals, they should be taught by Kang Seulgi and Bae Joohyun.

"It's a secret service we offer to women like us," Seulgi says with a wink.

"So Joohyun unnie didn't turn you down because she was straight?" Sooyoung teases.

"No, unfortunately. I mean, not unfortunately. I'm fine with the way things are now. Anyway, that was a decade ago..." the older girl responds, visibly embarrassed.

"Alright, heartthrob," the younger one responds, trying not to laugh any more. "I'm sorry, really. So how do I know you're not hiding anything from me, Ms. Textbook Guide To Privacy?"

Seulgi laughs at the nicknames. "I'm no celebrity. And there's no reason for me to hide anything from you."

Sooyoung only smiles. Even if she isn't saying it, Seulgi hasn't exactly been hiding her feelings for her. Everything will be worth it if she just does this right.


	15. Flamelike

"Seul-ah." Seulgi's mother lets out an exasperated sigh. They were on video call but they could feel the weight of her words all the way from Ansan. "You're on rest from your professional life, not housework. Don't make poor Sooyoung take care of everything."

"Mama," Seulgi whines. "Last night I helped do the dishes. Right, Sooyoung?"

The younger girl is barely awake but she tries to hold strong. "We had takeout fried chicken yesterday, there were no dishes to do. She did help clear the table though."

"At least make your bed and clean your room," Seulgi's mother asks. "Have you gotten out of bed?"

Both of them shake their heads, Seulgi moving her phone to briefly show they're still under the fluffy white sheets.

"You've been sleeping together?"

"Mama!" Seulgi nearly yells out. "Don't say it like that."

Sooyoung rubs her eyes and laughs. "She won't let me leave her side. At least I can attend to her if, God forbid, an emergency comes up. She usually keeps her bedroom door locked. Whatever she does in here alone…"

"That would make sense," Seulgi's mother says, looking sadly at her daughter's roommate. "She moves a lot in her sleep. Are you okay? When she was little I would wake up in the middle of the night when her little fist smacks against my face."

Seulgi covers her face in embarrassment.

"My body does hurt a little," the younger girl says, laughing at her roommate. "That's why I need to hold her tight so she won't move."

"See, this is how she got her own bed sooner than her brother did. That boy was so upset," the worried mom shares. "Alright, you two should get up and have a good breakfast. Take your vitamins. Seul-ah, give Sooyoung my number so she can call me if anything happens."

"Yes, mama," Seulgi says with a grin.

"Sooyoung, did you know her father and I spent the Lunar new year worrying about her?"

The older girl sighs. Joy understands the frustration of a mother's call not ending when it should.

"She wasn't born healthy," Seulgi's mom continued, the worry in her voice evident. "So we worried a lot. Our Seulgi later became a healthy fluffy baby and grew up athletic but… hearing about what happened brings me back to that time. I know you're doing a great job at taking care of her."

"She'll be alright, don't worry," Sooyoung says warmly. Her heart wrenches at the thought of sickly newborn Seulgi.

"I'm so happy she grew up well, I just can't help but worry," the mother continues.

"Mama, don't worry yourself sick," Seulgi says, frowning. "I'll be a good girl and make myself useful. Say hi to father and our cats for me. I love you."

"I will," her mother says. "I love you, princess. Sooyoung-ah, you're our princess now too."

Joy giggles at the thought of being Seulgi's family. "Thank you for checking on us. Take care of yourself too."

The video call ends with the two of them waving at the screen, Seulgi immediately falling backwards to lie down in bed.

Sooyoung pulls the sheets off her. "Hey, we should go make breakfast."

"Fifteen minutes."

"We should do one of those home workouts later too," the younger girl says, not letting Seulgi have her way.

And so it starts, the queen of living diligently even in her free time versus Kang Seulgi.

"Do you have an exercise mat?" the older girl asks, standing up to make her bed. What's gotten her suddenly energetic?

Sooyoung nods, helping her fix the sheets. "What time is it? Let's do a light breakfast now and exercise an hour after."

Seulgi agreed immediately. This was starting to feel ominous.

Breakfast are smoothie bowls made with some dried fruit from the groceries Joohyun bought for them. The two take their time in making it pretty, taking photos to upload on Instagram.

"You're having your honeymoon on my dime," Ten says in a reply to Joy's Story.

"Shut up" was Joy's sharp reply.

He sends her a selfie with members of their team looking miserable in the background. "This was from yesterday. The office just isn't the same without you guys."

"We'll be back on Tuesday," Joy replies. "Just a few more days. Don't burn the place down."

"Who's that?" Seulgi asks, looking up from her half-finished breakfast.

"You never ask me who I'm talking to," Sooyoung teases. "It's Ten. The office has been absolutely miserable, apparently."

Seulgi tries to pat away the blush on her cheeks. "Let's send a party-size pizza for lunch on Monday."

"I'll take care of the ice cream," the younger girl adds, agreeing.

The two finish their breakfast and head to their own rooms to prepare for their workout. Joy is in her usual tank top and tights, her hair in a ponytail and any strays pushed back with her trusty headband.

It takes her a while to find her exercise mat so when she enters the living room, Seulgi already has a circuit training workout written on a whiteboard she got from her bedroom.

"How is it only Saturday?" Sooyoung whines suddenly, setting up the mat two feet away from Seulgi.

"You're tired of me already?" Seulgi pouts, already starting with her warm-up stretches. Her hair is in her usual bun and she's wearing a light muscle tee and running shorts. To be frank, they're short enough to be booty shorts.

Sooyoung shakes her head. "I'm not used to working out every day but it seems like that's your plan."

The older girl grins mischievously. "Let's see how today will go and we can go lighter tomorrow."

The workout proves to be a killer. Seulgi's mother mentioned she was athletic but not that she's this much of a beast.

Joy was in her middle school basketball team but mostly only because she was tall. This was a different arena entirely.

She gets to see her sexy roommate breathing deeply and the way her muscles flex as she moves but at what cost? Joy was not made for high intensity.

If anything, at least she can report to anyone concerned that Seulgi is perfectly recovered and can probably run a marathon across the Korean peninsula without issue.

By the time the workout ends Joy has already refilled her water bottle a few times. She might need a Gatorade too.

"Don't lie down!" Seulgi yells as Sooyoung curls up on the floor. "Your circulation. Pace around until your heart rate normalizes."

The younger girl does as she's told, wiping her sweat down with a face towel.

"How was it?" Her coach for the day asks, giving her a free peek at her abs when she puts her hand up her shirt to wipe herself dry.

Is she being more of a tease than usual?

"I think we really should do something more relaxing tomorrow," she responds once she gets a hold of herself, sounding entirely defeated.

"Time for partner stretches," Seulgi says with a grin.

Partner stretches were… interesting. Today's coach helps Sooyoung first, asking her to try and remember what she does so she can do the same for Seulgi.

"Wow, you're so flexible," Seulgi comments as she presses the younger girl's leg towards Joy's head, supporting it with a hand on her knee. "Are you stretched far enough or should I keep going?"

Sooyoung groans, insanely satisfied with how well she's being stretched, and gives Seulgi a thumbs up. Seulgi holds the pose for 30 seconds before switching sides.

They go through eight different partner stretches, Joy immediately feeling like her whole body has been restored. She never knew it was possible to feel this good after a workout.

"It feels great, right?" Seulgi asks as she helps Sooyoung off the floor. "Stretch number one is always so great because my hamstrings are so tight."

The taller girl only smiles politely. She has no idea what any of that means.

"Now it's my turn. I'm not as flexible as you are but I'll tell you if I'm at my limit. Alright?"

Joy nods and hopes she remembers everything. Seulgi guides her through the process anyway, telling her where to place her hands for support.

These stretches are a good excuse to touch someone all over their lower body, Sooyoung thinks, trying not to laugh over her poor control of her hormones. She quickly hushes the part of herself that gets irrationally jealous at the thought of Seulgi doing this with someone else.

"Perfect," the older girl groans when it's all done, propping herself up from the mat. "Rest for 15 minutes then you can take a shower."

Sooyoung nearly jumps in happiness. Finally.

"Why are you taking your top off here?" Seulgi asks, eyes widening.

"Post-workout selfie," she responds simply, pulling the tank top slick with sweat over her head. 

"Hey! Isn't that too much?"

Joy pretends not to hear Seulgi protesting the way she adjusts her sports bra for the photos. Once satisfied, she updates her feed, with the last post including a photo of today's workout and mirror selfies with her initially unwilling coach.

"It's really nice you have a full-length mirror in the living room," the younger girl comments. Her roommate quickly changes expressions when they finish taking photos, from enthusiastic to over it.

"The interviewer is probably gonna ask you about these pics next week," Seulgi says as she puts her muscle tee back on. Sooyoung even got her involved in her sports bra-only, thirst trap antics.

"It's not my first time posting workout pics," she retorts. "Unnie, I'm 25. I can manage myself."

"I'm not policing you. Just reminding you to be a little more careful since Joohyun unnie wants you to help put your name out there."

Sooyoung shrugs and tells Seulgi she's just jealous she's sexy.

"I'm sexy in my own way too," the older girl shoots back. "I'm gonna go take a shower."

"Alright, sexy," Joy responds, giggling.

"I can't believe I pay for a personal trainer when I have a whole Kang Seulgi as a roommate," she writes in the caption of her last post. "This woman is an actual beast. If anyone's concerned about her after last Thursday's incident, I'm happy to report she's 100% recovered and 210% insane."

She plugs her phone back in to charge before going for a steamy shower. She doesn't need it the way she usually does to ease her muscles, but it was nice to treat herself for surviving.

Joy returns, fresh and fully dressed, to already over 100,000 likes probably thanks to her tagging Seulgi and Ten commenting a bunch of workout hashtags as a joke.

There are a decent amount of concerned comments while some are talking about how crazy the routine seems and that they're going to try it.

"Can Seulgi upload post-workout selfies too?" someone asks in the comments. Sooyoung had to keep scrolling so she won't reply with "No ♡". Is this what Seulgi felt earlier? Was she actually just jealous?

"Keep scrolling," she tells herself.

Their CEO Mino commented saying maybe Seulgi should consider putting up an online workout course as a new business venture. Always the entrepreneur.

She even found Seungwan in the comments. "@hi_sseulgi please don't kill Sooyoung"

"If she does, I'm killing her," Joohyun says in a reply to the singer, surprising even Seulgi who's losing it from the next room.

Yerim comments she's on Joohyun's side with this one.

"You two are super sexy, by the way," the actress adds as a separate comment.

Sooyoung laughs. She could get used to this setup, her new odd little circle.

The two celebrities interacting under her post becomes a trending topic on online community sites. It brings her new followers, her old pics with Joohyun get brought up, and they also revisit articles about how the actress got her big break because of Seulgi's photos.

Netizens make the connection between Wendy and her work with their agency, to her relief. As long as their meeting on Tuesday remains unknown, she doesn't have to worry about accidentally compromising Seungwan's privacy.

The most surprising outcome is Seulgi's workout becoming a hot topic among local fitness content creators, a handful of them said they'll post vlogs of them doing the routine.

Poor Seulgi is grateful for the attention from what people now call "the Tiger workout" but she had to post and clarify she's no expert and she doesn't plan on doing it professionally any time soon.

No one was paying attention to the caption on the post, apparently. The comments were all about Seulgi's toned physique. She was better off posting a Notes app screenshot.

"You can just post whenever you come up with something," Sooyoung tells her as they work on lunch together. "You're already known as the woman who can do everything."

The older girl blushes at the compliment. "Honestly, I kind of just wanted to mess with you but halfway through you were killing it!"

Joy lays the knife on the counter dramatically. "I knew it." The fake tension that followed made two laugh. "I really enjoyed it, though. The partner stretches helped. Maybe you should post about that too."

"Sooyoung, be sensitive," Seulgi pouts, turning to start preparing the stew. "Some people don't have partners."

"Alright, partner," she giggles to herself. Joy elbows Seulgi's rib and tells her to recommend it to people anyway. "Add a disclaimer."

"I'll post a link to an article or video, partner," her roommate responds, laughing along.


	16. Collapse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Updating a bit earlier than usual because Happy Joy Day!

"Why are you putting makeup on to work from home?" Seulgi asks, sitting on the edge of Sooyoung's bed.

The younger girl doesn't respond until she's done applying a thin layer of transparent mascara. "I'll be doing conference calls."

"Is the video quality good enough for them to know if you haven't?"

Sooyoung sighs as she decides on today's lip color. "I wouldn't know from their end but the internet here is quite good. I have a decent camera too."

"I can't believe you're actually using a ring light for your video call setup," Seulgi adds. "But you never half-ass anything so."

"Why do you wear $680 shirts to bed?" Joy counters.

"This is MiuMiu and it's a gift from Joohyun unnie," her roommate says defensively.

"That doesn't answer my question." Finally. Her makeup is done. She turns towards Seulgi as she waits for a response.

Seulgi shrugs. "It's comfortable and I take care of it well." She falls backward on Joy's bed and changes the topic. "How did you like our morning workout?"

The older girl looks so comfortable in bed. It would have been tempting to join her if it wouldn't ruin Sooyoung's look.

Earlier this morning, they woke up at their usual 7AM and Seulgi introduced her to a boxing routine. Why does she have two pairs of gloves, wraps, and target pads? Who knows.

She was glad they finished early enough for her to take an energizing nap before preparing for work.

"It was really fun. I really, really felt it. You got to be careful around me now that I know how to punch," she jokes.

Seulgi laughed. "I trained you, I'll know how to block."

The older girl courteously leaves the room as soon as Joy starts working. Seulgi left the binder with the project files on her workspace for the day, annotated with her own comments. When did she even have time to work on it?

She goes through the files to add her own comments, compiles them into an email, and sends them off to the respective departments with any relevant images.

It was already Monday and while her weekend alone with Seulgi was eventful, it felt like it passed by too fast.

"Weekend alone" isn't exactly accurate considering they had visitors in the form of Yerim last Friday and Joohyun on Sunday night. The actress decided to brave the thunderstorms to treat the two to grilled pork belly, soft tofu stew, and kimchi fried rice.

They were embarrassed that it was Joohyun who wrapped up her film but she was the one treating them. The most they could do was to provide beverages. The actress brushed it off, saying she was just happy to see them happy and healthy.

After two nights of sleeping in Seulgi's room, Sooyoung thought it was time to sleep on her own bed last night. It didn't exactly work. Seulgi ended up knocking on her door and crawling into her bed wordlessly.

They had to talk about their feelings soon because the flirting has gotten a lot more open, the touches a little too bold. She woke up this morning with her arm underneath the older girl's shirt, embracing her waist. Temptation got the best of her and she let her hand drag along Seulgi's stomach as she moved it away.

She has always been methodological, following a logical sequence to things, but can they just kiss now and deal with their other issues later?

Joy curses herself. She can't. She owes it to herself, to Seulgi, to Seungwan. To everyone who has somehow contributed in bringing them together. She can't ruin it now.

The meeting starts right before her thoughts turn into a bottomless pit and she puts on a professional face for the people gathered in their office conference room. She was the only one joining remotely and it felt odd.

Today's agenda was to keep everyone updated on the status of their ongoing projects. They spend the first part of the meeting enumerating the ones they have recently wrapped up, discussing wins and lessons learned.

The project managers are a roster of excellent individuals and she almost feels bad about leaving them so soon.

Despite being ahead of them, Joy diligently listened to their presentations, praised them for their contributions, gave feedback on areas of improvement, and asked questions.

She never wants anyone to feel unappreciated or unheard.

When it was her turn to present, everyone returned the favor. They remained professional and stayed within topic. Talking about how you spent your weekend was saved for the end of the discussion. The practice has been effective at streamlining their meetings.

That's not to say they weren't relentless when they reached that part of the call. It was the time where they could loosen up a bit as lunch approached. She received a text from Seulgi saying she's ordered the pizza and ice cream in case she forgot.

"You're a savior, unnie," she replies. Seulgi replies with the winking kiss emoji and Sooyoung struggles to keep a straight face on camera.

Good thing the team was distracted.

Yerim enters the conference room from the corner of the screen bringing in a box of pizza and tub of ice cream. She smiles at the camera, at Sooyoung, and leaves presumably to distribute the rest of the food with people at the pantry.

"Is this how you're sharing the happy news of your relationship?" one of them asks, already helping themselves to a slice.

"Hey, you must have been getting a different type of workout," another one jokes.

Sooyoung rolls her eyes at them. If anyone else would have tried that, she'd report them to HR.

"I was supposed to wait until I actually got there, but if you can promise to keep it a secret until tomorrow then I can share," she tells the small team.

The members looked at each other and nodded. "What is it?"

"Well, I will be leaving this team."

"No way!" they protest. "What are we going to do without you?"

"I'm not leaving the company," she explains. "I'll be contributing in a different way, since I've been promoted to a new position that will add a great deal of value to the agency."

For once, the team is quiet.

"I'm your new Creative Lead, although it's closer to a managerial position," Joy announces happily.

The room erupts in cheers. Thank goodness for soundproofing or they would have disturbed the whole building. Sooyoung quickly lowered the volume on her earphones and responded to their congratulations.

"Today marks the first day of the two-week transition period so you'll still have me around until then. Don't be excited about getting rid of me so soon," she teases.

Joy receives another text from Seulgi, this time with a photo of their lunch. She tells her the meeting is about to wrap up and she'll be joining her not too long after.

"Let's save the speeches for tomorrow," she tells the team, asking them to quiet down. "Enjoy your lunch there, I'll go eat mine. Remember, it's Monday. Don't take too long with your breaks!"

Seulgi is sitting excitedly at the dinner table when she sees Sooyoung leave her room. There's a big bowl of black bean noodles and sweet and sour pork waiting for them.

"How much do I owe you?" she asks, picking up her chopsticks from the dishrack. A while ago they decided to get color-coded ones, green for Sooyoung and yellow for Seulgi.

Seulgi closes her eyes and smiles. "Just a kiss."

She can't be serious. Sooyoung blushes and flicks her forehead instead.

"Hey," her roommate says with a pout. "You really don't know how to take a joke. I'll send you an invoice to your email since you want to be so professional."

"Just send me a request on KakaoPay, idiot," Sooyoung shoots back, lifting her bowl closer to her face to hopefully hide the way she's still blushing.

She receives a notification for it right away and she immediately sends the amount, pressing dramatically on her phone screen.

"Eat so you won't be so cranky," Seulgi says, not even shocked or upset. "Look at you, acting like you weren't feeling up my abs this morning."

Joy nearly screamed. She felt that? Stupid Sooyoung. She should have removed her hands right away when she noticed where they were. This girl is more perceptive than she initially believed.

"You shut up and eat. You're so hungry, you're imagining things."

The older girl only laughs and continues enjoying her meal. How can she be so smug?

Sooyoung helps clean up after the meal and leaves to brush her teeth, not saying anything else. Any more and it would probably end up with more teasing because Seulgi is getting much bolder.

Just a little more, she begs herself. Extend your patience for a few more days. If everything goes well you can go at it day and night until you're reduced into jelly. God. She needs to get a hold of herself.

Seulgi is perseverant, if there's one word to describe her. Yes, she's annoying her like an elementary student who doesn't know how to deal with a crush. But she's also so thoughtful.

It's not from her usual coffee place, but Seulgi made them iced coffees from her little espresso machine. With the right amount of milk and vanilla, it was as good as the real thing.

"Do you have any more calls this afternoon?" Seulgi asks, sipping on an iced caramel macchiato she made for herself. She's leaning on the doorway like the protagonist of a movie and Sooyoung wants to swoon.

"None that I know of. Why?"

The older girl smiles, clearly pleased. "Can I stay here in your room then? I won't disturb you."

"Promise?"

"Yeah, I promise."

Once she receives Joy's permission, Seulgi leaves to get her iPad from her room before settling on the younger girl's bed.

"Bored of your toys, little baby?"

Seulgi scrunches her face, holding back a smile. "I just want to draw."

Sooyoung bites back the urge to reply with "Who? Me?" and turns her attention back to her work. When she looks back, Seulgi is still drawing, eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

She finishes her work for the day earlier than expected, which wasn't surprising since she couldn't get much done remotely anyway. Joy turns her laptop off and heads to the bathroom to remove her makeup, dress more comfortably.

"I like how you look without makeup," Seulgi comments after looking up at her briefly.

"You could have just said that instead of questioning my decisions," Joy teases. "You've seen a lot of it in the past few days. How is it?"

The older girl laughs softly. "Refreshing, especially that you're well-rested. And smiling a lot."

"You're welcome," she responds, flustered but keeping the cheekiness from earlier. "What are you doing now?"

"Still drawing," she responds, pulling the iPad closer to her as if she doesn't want her roommate to look.

From what Joy can see, Seulgi is drawing her view from earlier. Joy's back is turned to her as she works, the details of her workspace looking more alive than it does in real life.

Wanting to take a closer look, she plops herself on top of the other girl.

"Joy," Seulgi warns. "If you won't get off…"

"What are you going to do?" She teases.

"Park Sooyoung," Seulgi warns again, her voice more stern now.

It looks like she's really pushed her to her limits. Seulgi manages to flip the taller girl off her back and onto the bed, fast but not forceful. Sooyoung thinks it's funny, laughing while saying she's sorry in between. She's no longer laughing when Seulgi is straddling her, hands on either side of Joy's shoulders.

Half of Sooyoung's mind is fawning over how sexy this is while the other is panicking about how this is not the right time. She's not ready for how things could change. Seulgi is right there, staring at her so intensely with dark eyes, it makes her want to look away.

Or she can close her eyes.

She feels the other girl's mouth ghost above hers, the tip of Seulgi's nose gently brushing her cheek.

Her toes curl in anticipation, unsure what to do and suddenly, Joy feels Seulgi's lips brush against her ear instead.

"This is… not how I want our first kiss to go."

Her eyes shoot open and Seulgi is blushing, her boldness and intensity gone.

The older girl slowly moves away, rolling to her side. "We can pretend this didn't happen, but I'll wait until you finish talking to Seungwan."

Sooyoung swallows the lump in her throat and nods, cheeks still hot. "Unnie…"

"I'll be in my room until dinner," Seulgi excuses herself, taking her things with her. "Did you like the drawing?"

The younger girl nods, still trying to process everything. Was that basically a confession? The tension has been hanging over them for so long, this wasn't the way Sooyoung expected it to bubble over.

It's no surprise that Seulgi has been thinking about kissing her, but the fact she's imagined an ideal first kiss makes Sooyoung realize she hasn't grasped how much this all means to Seulgi.

"Or I'll help myself to dinner…" The older girl trails off. "I'm sorry for making this awkward."

"Unnie, no," Sooyoung interjects. She wants to get up and hug her, but it doesn't look like it's what Seulgi wants. "I also want to talk to Seungwan first before we… before we talk. About everything."

Seulgi only gives her a small smile, waves. "I'll see you at dinner."


	17. Answered questions

Seulgi is really good at pretending nothing happened. Even when Sooyoung thought they'd be sleeping apart so they could have time to think, her roommate asked if they could sleep in the older girl's bed.

Sooyoung's bed still carried the weight of the event in question.

Maybe they're not good at pretending at all.

Pretending doesn't mean she doesn't think about it. About how she felt at that moment, about how she wanted to wrap her arms around Seulgi's neck and pull her close. The way her roommate's soft lips felt against her ear and the shivers down her spine.

How Seulgi looked as she moved away, worried she had ruined everything.

Sooyoung held Seulgi close to her as they tried to sleep, the older girl's back pressed against her front, humming mindlessly as she eased a thumb past the garter of the smaller girl's shorts to rub small circles onto her hip bone.

She was thinking not about the conversation she will have to close a chapter of her life, but the conversation that will start a new chapter after that.

In the morning, they downed breakfast smoothies and prepared for work as usual. Neither of them had an appetite for a full breakfast but no one said anything.

They're taking Seulgi's car but Sooyoung was in the mood for public transport. At least there, she wasn't enclosed in a small space with just her. The older girl was driving her to the meetup place later tonight and picking her up right after.

They had to sit alone together and face the meaningless small talk, the quiet singing along to the music in the Mini Cooper.

Her driving has improved, Sooyoung observes of the older girl. If the weight of the responsibility and privilege of driving used to scare her, she exudes more confidence now. Finally being able to leave the house and meet other people was a blessing given the unspoken tension between them.

She was ready to shrug it off and focus on her day once they left the elevator. Seulgi just had to have a hand on the small of her back. The older girl tugs lightly on a belt loop of Joy's slacks and she instinctively slows down.

"Have a good day," Seulgi whispers and leaves a kiss on her neck, right below her ear.

They clearly had no intention of pretending nothing happened.

The company director walks off first, towards her office, waving at the people she passes by. "Announcement at 11:30, before lunch," she announces. There was a vibe to her that Joy could not just place.

"Welcome back, Joy!" Ten exclaims, and she finally pulls her eyes off Seulgi.

"It's so nice to see you again," she responds, pulling him into a hug. She means it. She really likes Seulgi, loves her, but they've proven that spending that much time exclusively with each other can be explosive.

The two catch up on the latest office happenings, developments on their projects, and their personal lives.

Ten is seeing someone, Joy learns, and he's keeping the identity a secret until he knows it will last longer than three dates. He's glowing, giddy, and Sooyoung wishes that was her in his place instead.

"All I can tell you is that I won't date someone who isn't at least as sexy as I am," he shares.

"So you're the type to lay it all down on the first date," Sooyoung teases. "Nothing wrong with that, by the way."

Ten just laughs. "We're being safe, if that's your concern. And you, Miss 18th Century, how is the pining going?"

"There's progress but we hit a major speed bump," she decides to say. "At least I know now that it's mutual. From our friends, unfortunately."

He shakes his head. "At least, I guess. Congratulations on finally figuring that out. The office has known for ages."

Sooyoung hits his shoulder lightly. "Good things come to those who wait."

"Whatever you say. I'm happy for you but... Why don't you two just talk?"

She sighs, lowers her voice. "I'm talking to Wendy tonight, then Seulgi after. Well, maybe not immediately after."

He clicks his tongue and wishes her the best of luck. "Got to get back to work. They're finalizing designs for Wendy's album today so they can start production on time."

"Can I look?"

Ten looks up at her and thinks for a moment. "Come along."

Sooyoung says hi to more of their coworkers as they pass by, everyone commenting on how she's glowing and how they're jealous about her long break. It's not like she planned to have a long break. It just happened.

When they get to Ten's desk, there's a prototype of the album complete with a CD-R.

"The CD is blank, by the way. This is just what we showed to the client. Wendy seems to be happy with it and the company likes it too. I just have to send the files to the manufacturer."

"How many for the initial print?" Sooyoung asks, inspecting the album and its contents.

"She's not an idol so don't expect much. About the album inclusions and the number of copies sold, I mean," he explains. "We're looking at 50,000 but we'll see when we get the preorder numbers."

"If we're doing our job right and target the right audience, 100,000 is possible," Joy says. That would be up to the people managing paid social media. She hasn't really checked on that.

"You seem like you're invested in her success."

She smiles at him, flipping through the photo book now. "She's done a lot for me even if we both ended up getting hurt. Wendy is a really good person. She deserves to be successful."

The design of the album captures Wendy really well. It's blue and white but it feels like sunshine. Ten tells her the theme of the album was healing, starting new without feeling preachy. She wanted to give hope to her listeners after her rather heartbreaking first two singles.

To move forward, if not to love again.

The album has a book-like case to match the concept of turning a new page, with the CD-R behind the cover and the lyrics and credits in between photographs. She recognizes the outfit she saw last Thursday in some of the pages.

"I've never heard of any of these songs before," Sooyoung comments. "She must have written all this while moving on."

The graphic designer just hums, typing away on his laptop.

"There's a thank you message even if it's a mini?" she asks when she flips towards the album credits.

"She insisted," Ten explains. "You know her. I think it would make sense to you why."

She finds the agency's name, Seulgi, Yeirm, Ten, but she's surprised to find her own.

"What's my name doing here?"

"Wendy asked to add it in. I had to ask Director Kang what to write or else I would have just made stuff up. Congrats on the promotion, by the way. Sorry for spoiling the surprise."

Sooyoung says it's no issue and thanks him. "Well, considering the theme of this album, I did inspire this work somehow."

"You can ask her about it later," Ten suggests.

She nods, tracing a finger on a verse that caught her eye.

"When I say I miss you,  
It doesn't mean let's try again.  
I just want to tell you,  
We had something great."

Something great indeed. Her eyes move to the thank you message and it's as long as she expected. A scan of a handwritten message printed on the back of a postcard.

It's basically just the album credits with a lot more affection and her personal thoughts about the album.

Sooyoung jots down the idea to do an album commentary as part of promotions. Even in a sentimental moment, she's still thinking about her work.

Based on what she can pick up from what she knows of Seungwan, the message hints at her currently having someone who makes her happy.

That should make tonight's discussion a lot easier.

She reverts to her professional self and gives honest feedback on the album design, which is to say she wouldn't change anything at all. Ten is very pleased to hear this from someone who knows the client really well.

The post-release promotions will be done by the company internally, but it doesn't hurt to send her recommendations. She has to remind herself to hold back a little.

The thought of helping Seungwan reach her much-deserved success excited her before, and it still does now, but she needs to step back for the sake of whoever's holding the singer's heart right now.

Joy has a few more discussions about the status of ongoing projects as she makes her way back to her desk. Mino had asked her if she wanted her own office because there was still sufficient space beside Seulgi's.

The area is currently where they manage their data and servers, but they were already working on moving it somewhere more secluded and secure by the end of the week.

It would be nice to have privacy whenever she needs to concentrate on something but she also loved the concept of an open office where everyone can freely talk and move around.

The CEO just laughed at her and said having an office doesn't mean you have to be holed in there. He and Seulgi move around and work out of the office a lot, for one.

A personal office is just a place to secure your own things, not lose your sense of self, and perhaps have private conversations.

She's on her way back from the water cooler when Seulgi asks her to come to her office.

"Sooyoung," she starts, sitting on the arm of her chair instead of on the seat itself.

There's no brightness or affection in her voice. Joy returns her tone with a "Director Kang".

Seulgi smiles. "How would you like to go about today's announcement?"

"I already told the other project managers, and apparently you already told Ten."

The director apologizes with a quiet voice.

"It's okay. If it's alright, can you do the talking? I'll just say something after. I don't want to sound like…"

"Like you're tooting your own horn?"

Sooyoung finally smiles back. "Yeah."

The older girl gets up and extends her arms to Sooyoung, "Can I hug you?"

How can she resist her? Joy gets up and wraps her arms around Seulgi, the gesture saying more than words can right now.

"Alright, let's go," Seulgi says, pulling back.

Sooyoung stops her from turning away so quickly. "Unnie. Wait."

What exactly did she want to do, again? She forgets when they make eye contact.

"I can't pretend it didn't happen. I've been thinking about it a lot," Sooyoung says, careful with every word. What she wants to say is she wants this. "After tonight, let me know when you're ready to talk."

Seulgi only nods, smiling when she feels Sooyoung's lips on her cheek.

The younger girl leaves the office first, trying to collect herself before she has to face everyone. Seulgi comes out just in time and Yerim helps to call everyone's attention.

"Everyone," Seulgi announces, all eyes on her. "At our company, we value dedication and hard work. We notice when someone goes beyond what is asked, when they contribute value that is unique to them."

"After receiving a recommendation from a long-time client," she continues, "seeking opinions of others, and discussing among ourselves, we have decided to create a new position that would add a great deal of value to our company."

Seulgi looks over to Sooyoung and asks her to join her at the front. "In two weeks, Ms. Park will be starting her new role as our Creative Lead. The position is managerial in function and will be overseeing the creative process in all our projects. Expect her to join your meetings at different points in the project timeline, and you're also free to consult her. Organizational things like process and workflow will no longer be her main function but she can still give advice on streamlining project management."

Sooyoung breaks into a smile as the whole floor erupts into an applause, congratulating her.

"Do the team leaders have anything to say to Ms. Park?" Seulgi asks, gesturing for the team to quiet down.

Hands go up and they take turns congratulating her, some even recalling times where Joy showed her ability in this position even if it wasn't official. The general consensus is that she deserves it.

At the back of her mind, she had been worried some people would say she only got it because of her not-relationship with Seulgi or closeness to Mino but the celebration all seems genuine.

"Thank you, everyone," she says when it was her turn to speak. "I'm honored to be given this great responsibility as the company's new Creative Lead. It's not going to be easy but as always, I will be grateful for your guidance and cooperation. Thank you for your congratulations and encouragement."

"To the project managers, don't worry," Joy continues as she turns to them. "I'll do my best to document my best practices and smoothly turn over any projects on my plate. I don't want to say 'let's enjoy our last two weeks together' since we'll still be working closely together. Again, thank you!"

The team applauds again, others calling for a free lunch but Seulgi reminds them they already got free pizza yesterday.

"Maybe in two weeks when I finally start my new position," Sooyoung says, causing another round of cheers and teasing about her new salary.

The company director tells everyone to quiet down and return to their posts or go out for lunch.

"HR is still finalizing your new contract," Seulgi explains as they walk to the elevator. "You'll sign it next week."

Sooyoung nods, pressing the Down button outside the elevator. "Where are you going for lunch?"

"...are we not eating together?"

The younger girl laughs as the elevator opens. "Just messing around. Let's have some ramyeon."

Lunch feels easier. A few other team members saw them on their way and asked if they could join them. The two looked at each other and agreed, as if they silently considered it would save them from another awkward conversation.

It was a good idea. Everyone asks them how their weekend was and they focused on sharing the good bits. There was teasing and chaos but they could take it.

"Your social circle is insane," someone comments. "You two are already big shots in the creative industry but you just had to have Irene Bae and Wendy Shon too."

"Ah, that Kim Yerim is gonna give us all a run for our money when she graduates too," another chimes in.

Sooyoung humors them, lets them say whatever they want. She wasn't in the position to speak on behalf of the two.

"Hey, Director Kang," one of the graphic designers called out. "The workouts you posted are really taking off. Some idols and fitness vloggers have videos of themselves doing it.

"It's really not for the faint of heart," Sooyoung comments, sharing her own experience with the routines last weekend.

The day wraps up before they even know it. Right after they returned from lunch, they focused on their tasks and Joy sent some important emails to their retainer clients, informing them of her upcoming role change.

When she sits in the car with Seulgi to leave for the café, she focuses on clearing her head and calming down.

"I know the owner so I've asked them not to say anything about Seungwan visiting," Seulgi tells her. "I've reserved a table and placed advanced orders so all you have to do is talk."

"How do you know what Seungwan likes?" Joy asks. "I mean, I trust you to know what I like."

"We had a lot of meals together while we were working on the project."

"Just you two?" She already knows the answer and knows it will push a button, but her loud mouth can't resist asking.

"There were a few one-on-one meals," she answers with a straight face. "I have no interest in dating your ex."

Sooyoung teases her about being defensive. "We can talk more about that soon, I guess."

"We're here," the older girl says, ignoring Joy. She turns the engine off after parking on the roadside.

"You're coming too?" She was expecting her to drive off somewhere for the time being.

"We're not at the actual destination. But we have to walk through some alleyways to get there."

The café was a secluded one somewhere in Itaewon. If they went up to the rooftop, they'd have a great view of Namsan Tower, but the table reserved for them was at the corner of the second floor.

"She's already here," the owner tells them.

Sooyoung smirks. "Always punctual."

Seulgi squeezes her hand before leaving, saying she'd be at another café in the area. Finally some warmth after her demeanor in the car.

Seungwan is how Seungwan always was, except noticeably more confident. She still dresses the same way, knit sweaters and skinny jeans with sneakers, but a wider smile.

"Hey," the singer says, smiling. She's not Wendy Shon, the up and coming soloist, right now. Just Son Seungwan.

Sooyoung seems to have surprised her by going in for a hug. "It's nice to see you. I mean it."

Seungwan hugs her back and the two promptly take their seats.

"Where do we start?" The short-haired girl asks, bright as ever.

"Well. Congratulations on your successful debut."

"And congratulations on your promotion. Seulgi told me."

Sooyoung thanked her warmly. "Confidence looks good on you, by the way. I'm happy you finally found it."

The other girl smiles and starts eating. "I'm happy too. Everything feels so unreal. Just three years ago we thought we'd be doing it all together."

"But things had to happen the way they did, right?" Sooyoung asks, sipping her drink. "I had to think of a future I wanted for myself. One that wasn't tied to moving mountains just so I can stay with you."

"I don't think it's your fault or mine that we ended up having that tunnel vision," Wendy says. "We grew too dependent on each other. I was made of you and you were made of me, instead of being whole people by ourselves."

"Maybe if we had other friends," the younger girl jokes. Their whole lives revolved around over-exerting themselves to make each other happy. Sooyoung ended up suffering from Seungwan spending time with other people. "I have a couple of questions."

Seungwan nods. "So do I. You can go first."

"Why did you ask to have me credited on your album?"

"Coming in with a tough one right away," the other girl laughs. "That's one thing about you that hasn't changed. Well, objectively you did have valuable creative input through your comments on what Yerim and the others did."

Sooyoung laughs at herself. This is why she's getting a new role. She can't stay out of others' business.

"On a personal level," Seungwan continued, "you helped me reach some important realizations that influenced the songs I wrote. I still want to see you succeed. It's my small way of helping you get your name out there."

"Thank you, then." The creative wonders how she can show her gratitude. "Ten showed me the prototype earlier and it's so you. Perhaps even introduced me to the things that have changed about you since then. And I agree with that verse on the last track."

"That missing you is not about wanting to try again?" Wendy asks.

"Yeah. Just a sign that we had something great. That's all there is."

The short-haired girl shifts in her seat, looking pleased. "My turn. Why did you hang on to us for so long?"

"Hmm." She was never this straightforward.

"You know I told you to move forward and that you'll find someone better. You were still so young."

"Exactly," Sooyoung counters. "I was very young. I'm not your first love and I don't know if yours was just as intense but I really thought I wouldn't be able to feel that way about anyone ever again. What we had was so good and so secure. To me, at least. I loved you so intensely."

Her response made Wendy look at her curiously. "I know we're kind of supposed to take turns but… is that the way you feel about Seulgi now?"

"So suddenly…" Sooyoung inhales deeply. "Yeah. I'm… very much in love with her."

She couldn't help her smile, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to check Seungwan's reaction.

"Sooyoung, look at me. It's okay," she reassures her, smiling. Always so warm. "I guess I will always love you in the way that I would never wish you harm, that I would always want the best for you but I've accepted we have to move on."

"Thank you. Me too." Sooyoung lets go of a breath she didn't know she was holding. 

"I treated you well because I loved you and it was the right thing to do," Wendy tells her. "It didn't mean I was the right person for you."

"I understand that now," she replies. She remembers Joohyun's whole lesson of not letting yourself fall for basic kindness. "How did you end up working with us?"

"For the record, I had no idea you worked with them. Our CEO knew your CEO and they made everything happen."

"The universe moves in ways unknown," the younger girl laughs. "Alright. I don't know how to word this but… you've been working with the girl your ex is in love with. How do you feel about that?"

Wendy smirks and takes a sip of water. "Seulgi and I have become friends. I imagine you'd know why and how we'd get along well. It was a bit… I didn't know how to feel but from the beginning, I had a feeling you two had something unspoken going on."

"You didn't know how to feel?"

"I was watching you when I asked my manager to give you that note," she explains. "Suddenly she came in looking like she'd risk it all for you, full face of makeup and dressed to kill. That got me curious about her and what you could be to each other."

Sooyoung laughs, trying to imagine what Seungwan saw. "I had a crush on her freshman year of high school. Towards the end of the school year, she was graduating and my grandmother on my mom's side got sick and we had to move back to Jeju. I confessed. But she didn't know how to react so I was pretty heartbroken about it."

"So I wasn't your first love?" the older girl asks, pretending to be jealous. Sooyoung still knows that look.

"You are," she answers. "I couldn't say I loved her. Like any teenager I did whatever I could to see her and talk to her but I didn't understand what my feelings were until much later."

"Then after college," Sooyoung continued, "I moved back home to try and get over us being over. My first day back in Jeju, I got a call from the company saying I've been hired as a project manager. They let me… get my shit together before I started. Months later I found out that Seulgi unnie really fought for them to not withdraw the job offer."

"Wow." Seungwan looked legitimately speechless. "Why did she do that for you?"

"You're the first one to know the real story, even my mom doesn't know this is what actually happened," the younger girl shares. "I still don't know. She told me she remembered me and she believes in my potential."

"Maybe she's always liked you," the older girl teases. "Wait. Probably not. You were basically a kid, you know? We think we know everything at 18 but we don't. And she was going off to college. She probably worried about you, more than anything."

"To be fair, Joohyun unnie said she still doesn't know how to react to confessions," Joy laughs. "She said Seulgi unnie is always panicking over some younger person confessing to her when she just wants to look after them."

"That could be an answer," Seungwan says. "She remembered you and just wanted to look out for you. Did she know about…?"

The younger girl shakes her head. "She didn't know when she recommended me for the position. Then she called me personally and tried to understand why I couldn't start right away."

"She really wanted you there," Wendy comments. "You really wanted the job, right?"

Sooyoung nods. "You know how hard it is to get a job. Their work inspired me as a student. Even now, we have a very low acceptance rate."

"Ah," the older girl sighs. "You picked yourself up really well but I feel like I owe Seulgi for helping clean up the mess I made."

"Seungwan," Joy sighs. "Don't say that. No blaming ourselves, remember? It's not like you were happy while I was suffering."

She laughs. "Oh, I definitely struggled too. One day I'll tell you all about it."

Joy has mixed feelings right now, but she just smiles back. "I have one more question."

"What is it?"

"Are you seeing anyone right now?"

Wendy laughs, shaking her head. "Like this sounds pretty cliché or fake but I'm very in love with my work right now. I don't think love is a distraction, I never thought of you like that, you inspired some of my best work, but I believe love will come when it will."

"So I had the wrong idea…" Sooyoung trails off, giggling. "I'm sorry, I was reading your album thank you message and it sounded like there was someone."

"I'm in the middle of… making friends. Meeting people. Falling in love with strangers," she responds, winking at the other girl. "You know me."

Of course. Always the romantic one. In love with love. Never changed.

"I'm happy you have Seulgi," Wendy says suddenly, her expression solemn. "Our friendship started honestly because she has this great energy."

"The office just lights up when she comes in, makes everyone happy and relaxed at the same time," Sooyoung responds, understanding what she means.

The short-haired girl nods, eyes twinkling. "She's in love with you."

"Is she?" Joy asks, blinking quickly. "I know she likes me but…"

"Park Sooyoung," Seungwan says, in the way she does that always brings Sooyoung back to the ground. How does she still have that power? "She told me."

"She did?"

"She did. Pretty sure she told all your friends and your mom too before you," the older girl laughs. She barely even talked to Joy's mom when they were together. "For some reason she thought she needed my blessing. Which is cute. If that doesn't show how much you mean to her, I don't know what will."

All Sooyoung could say was "wow". Still waters run deep and she has barely dipped her toes in the depth of Seulgi's heart and mind.

"Sooyoung, please don't cry," Wendy frowns.

The younger girl laughs at herself and wipes her tears. "Yesterday, I thought I had no idea how deeply she feels for me, but I really do have no idea."

"Seulgi called me last night, crying. She really thought she messed up, you know?"

"You know about it?" she asks, drinking water to help herself calm down.

"I was really worried about you both. She really loves you. And I think she's been super good to you if you love her back. You don't take bull from anyone," Wendy points out.

The older girl stands up to give her a hug when she doesn't say anything. "Go for it, okay? You deserve to let yourself be happy."

Sooyoung hugs her back, nodding. "I'm really happy we got to talk."

Wendy pats her head and gives her one last squeeze. "Hey. I don't know if you believe in exes being friends, but you can reach out to me any time. I'm not interested in ruining what you two have anyway."

"I should text her to pick me up… I should touch up before I go meet her… Oh god."

The short-haired girl giggles and smiles at her warmly. "Go get the girl."


	18. Someone with delicate eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Implied sexual content and mentions of harrassment
> 
> Very nervous about posting this chapter so I will really appreciate your comments! There will be no unnecessarily explicit or graphic sexual content in this work. There's more to this story so thank you for reading and supporting it up until now. ^^

It's much darker out now despite the city lights looking very much alive from a distance. Sooyoung had been restless since she texted Seulgi that they're done talking and asked her to pick her up.

The reply only took a few minutes but it felt like forever. There's a bite to the cold wind moving around the city but Sooyoung forgets it all when she sees Seulgi come around the alley.

She wastes no time and runs to give her a big hug.

"Hey," Seulgi says, suddenly unsure where to place her hands. She hugs her back when she shows no signs of letting go. "How did it go?"

"A lot better than expected," Joy responds, still hugging her. "I'm happy I got to talk to her."

"What's the verdict?" she jokes. "Feeling a lot better?"

Sooyoung nods enthusiastically. "We're both happy with our own lives in general. Answered a lot of questions."

"Joy, we should move a bit to the side. This is a doorway."

"Let's go back to your car?" she suggests instead.

They looped their arms together as they walked to the car. Seulgi asks more questions about her conversation with Sooyoung, her eyes curious but somehow pleased.

She can tell the other girl is nervous but she's grateful Seulgi is responding with more warmth than she did on their way here.

"Where do you want to go?" she asks as soon as they get in. The car starts, city pop slowly filling the space from the speakers. She always loved playing these songs when she's doing her photoshoots.

"Can we… talk now?" Sooyoung asks, wanting to look away from Seulgi's gaze but she can't.

"That's not the question— I mean… parked here?" Seulgi asks.

She shakes her head. "We can drive around or we can go somewhere… quiet? I want you to be comfortable so I'd leave it to you."

The driver hums to herself before pulling out of her parking spot. She drummed her fingers against the gearshift, looking like she's still thinking, until they made it into the bridge over the Han River.

The GPS tells her they're driving south but not where exactly. Probably somewhere familiar to Seulgi.

The whole drive is quiet but short enough for Sooyoung not to fall asleep. She watches Seoul disappear behind them until they drive through all 28 short kilometers to Seulgi's hometown.

"All the way here," Sooyoung says, stretching in her seat. It's been a long day and it's far from over.

"I like to go here to think," Seulgi shares. "It's not too far and it's connected to Seoul's subway system so… this is one of the places I go when I'm out late. I don't really tell my parents when I'm here."

"Will they get mad?"

"Going here with no intentions to visit them? They'll be upset, surely," Seulgi laughs.

"I always forget you didn't live in Seoul your whole life."

"Well," she shrugs. "They thought putting me in a 'better' school would improve my chances at getting into university. It worked. But after high school they moved back here because of my father's job and I stayed in Seoul for university."

Sooyoung smiles. "Does this place remind you of simpler times?"

Seulgi agrees, laughing as she sits on one end of a children's seesaw. "This is my favorite spot but there's a bench over there. If that would be more comfortable for you."

They walk over to the bench, a little too low for adults, and sit awkwardly next to each other like teenagers with their first crushes. To Sooyoung, Seulgi technically is.

"So…"

"So…" the younger girl repeats. "Thank you. For everything you've done for me, really."

"You sound like you're leaving," Seulgi says.

"No, of course not," Sooyoung replies. "Talking to Seungwan just made me appreciate you a lot more."

The older girl blushes. "You must feel so much lighter now."

"Not quite," she responds. "There's still… this. I have a few questions."

"Go ahead."

Sooyoung laughs to herself and sighs. "Alright… I confessed to you before you graduated from high school. How did you feel then? You kept teasing me about it since I started at the company."

Seulgi snorts and takes the other girl's hands in hers. "I seriously don't know. I thought you were too young to know what you really wanted out of it? You've always been pretty but… the difference between 18 and 20 is bigger than you think. Do you remember what I told you?"

She shakes her head, flustered by the compliment. "All I remember was how upset I was, but I started to have… other problems so I didn't dwell on it for so long."

"I told little Park Sooyoung to be careful with her heart," Seulgi starts slowly, trying to remind her. "I was still reeling from Joohyun unnie's rejection so you could imagine. But your confession made me feel better somehow. It reminded me I'm still someone people can like."

Sooyoung frowns. "I didn't know those things were happening at the same time. Imagine if I knew you had a crush on someone as beautiful as her. I would have just cried and never spoken to you."

Seulgi laughs at Joy and then at herself. "I liked her since middle school? She was in my older brother's class and we lived in the same neighborhood. We sat next to each other at one of my brother's baseball games and she was so nice to me. I was kind of obsessed."

"I didn't know you liked her for that long," Sooyoung says.

"Oh well. I thought she'd take my confession seriously because I was going to be an adult. She did her best to explain to me that that's not how it worked. All after I even applied to the university I graduated from because that's where she went."

"No way," the younger girl says. "You're worse than I am."

Seulgi snorts. "Maybe. The photo that got her scouted was part of my application."

"And by the time you started, she already dropped out," the younger girl filled in. "You must have thought she was avoiding you."

She laughs weakly. "We drifted apart as she got busy. I thought it was my fault for confessing and messing it up. So I threw myself into my work and studies. You should see my transcript. I never expected those kinds of grades from myself."

"Can't relate, I've always been a diligent student," Sooyoung teases. "Is that why you never pursued serious relationships with other people?"

The older girl shrugs. "Maybe in the back of my mind. But I got so busy. I was already doing shoots for local brands while studying."

"No time to go on dates or fool around?" she asks.

"There were…" Seulgi blushes. "There were a few dates, mostly bad ones. And I should have known better but I got involved with some of the models I worked with."

"Oh."

This is new.

"I had one night stands not realizing I will inevitably work with them again."

The younger girl's brows quirk up. "Alright… this is a revelation."

Seulgi shudders. "None of them were looking for anything serious anyway. I knew I had to stop after like… four of them. The designers are a different story, however."

"You had designers and CEOs hitting on you?" Joy asks. "So it's true… Everyone wants Kang Seulgi."

"Are you jealous?" Seulgi teases, giddy when Joy said she kind of is. "Those lasted longer. They spoiled me but after a while I felt bad receiving things I didn't necessarily work for. Good thing I got in touch with Joohyun unnie again and she helped me out."

"How did you two reconnect?"

"When I was in my junior year, she decided to continue studying and we had a class together. I didn't want to approach her but I got into a really messy situation and needed help."

This is a lot for Sooyoung to process. "What happened?"

"I guess it's time to be honest about everything, right?" Seulgi asks, laughing weakly. "I didn't want to tell you all this because I didn't know what you'd think of me."

Joy only repeats her question. "What happened?"

"The CEO I was involved with at the time knew my landlord," she starts. "She threatened to have me kicked out because she was jealous. Of course, no one really knew about us so one of their models started flirting with me after a shoot. She saw it all."

"Woah."

Seulgi buried her head into Joy's shoulder. "Yeah. 'Woah.' I'm not as pure or disciplined as you think. Took me years and a lot of nagging from Joohyun unnie to get there. She told me if I wanted to make it big, I had to settle down or keep it in my pants."

Sooyoung laughs. "You were such a horndog. Like I get why you're in demand but I never expected that of you."

She shudders again. "Can't even imagine where I'd be if I was still like that. Women are amazing! I loved the attention."

"So past Seulgi would have just drilled me into my mattress the other day," the younger girl teases. She's thinking with a different body part again. God.

Seulgi lifts her head, cheeks warm. "I think how we are now is a lot better. I'm clean, by the way. I get tested regularly even if I stopped fooling around years ago."

She laughs awkwardly when Sooyoung doesn't say anything. "I'm sorry. I had to say that. Is it too much? I basically lied to you about focusing on my career so I never had a real girlfriend but I was out here messing around, causing trouble."

How lonely must she have been? Devastated after losing touch with someone who was so important to her growing up that she busied herself with her studies and work and bodies that only cared about her body.

In Seulgi's eyes, Sooyoung sees the question running through her head.

'Did you change your mind?'

Sooyoung presses one of Seulgi's hands against her cheek and watches her expression relax instantly.

"It must have been hard for you to tell me all this," she tells her. "But anyone who judges you on how you acted when you were young and a little lost is wrong. Nothing is inherently wrong with having a lot of sex either."

"You called me a horndog," Seulgi points out goodnaturedly. "But thank you. It feels good to hear that. Joohyun unnie was not so cool about it."

The younger girl kisses the back of her hand. "She was just worried about you. Maybe it wasn't the perfect response but she helped shape you up."

"You're too kind to think of it that way."

"I'm not who I was one year ago," Joy says, determined to get her point across. "The Sooyoung who confessed to you, the one who dated Seungwan, the one you met when I applied for the company, those were all me but also currently not me. We all change and grow."

"And at least you had a great time," she winks.

"They weren't all that great," Seulgi laughs. "Sometimes I had to finish off by myself. Okay. Enough of that."

The younger girl laughs along and agrees to change the topic. "Was there anything else you told high school me back then?"

"That I can answer," the older girl says with a smile. "I told you that you'll like people cooler than me and other people will like you too. I thought maybe you were like me and saw me that way because I was older so I warned you of older people who will approach you with bad intentions."

"You didn't seem to take your own advice well. No offense."

"It was different," Seulgi says, her tone changing. "High school boys trying to come onto a middle school girl… different from me, a consenting adult, messing around."

"Oh. Boys are really terrible."

The older girl shrugs. "Joohyun unnie called them out on it. She must have some magic because everything passed quietly."

"I'm so sorry that happened to you, unnie."

Seulgi kisses her hands and tells her there's nothing she could have done. "Don't worry about it. Why don't we talk about something else?"

"Last question, then. Why did you fight for them to not withdraw the job offer?"

"Well, that's easier," the older girl answers, smiling now. "I remembered you. I wanted to do for someone what Joohyun unnie did for me. When you explained your situation, I worried that my advice failed you. But I know now Seungwan is a good person."

The younger girl smiles. "She is."

Seulgi smiles back. "I really wanted to look out for you and help you reach your goals. Perhaps it was selfish that I did it to feel good for myself?"

"We're all a little selfish," Sooyoung refutes.

"I didn't do it so you would like me or whatever. But I didn't expect…" she looks down at their hands and laughs shyly. "I didn't expect I'd fall for you, you know?"

Oh.

There it is.

She didn't know what she was expecting to feel when it finally happened, but the relief that washed over her is immeasurable.

"I always thought you were beautiful," Seulgi continued. "I didn't know how I started to see you differently. Your touch, the playful flirting, your smile… suddenly I couldn't stop thinking about you. When we started really communicating and it was you looking after me instead of the other way around, I felt like I could let my guard down. I didn't have to have it all figured out. You get me."

Sooyoung only looked at her, smiling.

"And I was scared because you still weren't over her. I didn't want to force it. Every time I helped you, I worried because if I pursued you seriously I didn't want you to feel like you owe it to me."

The younger girl shakes her head. "You've always been so kind and giving to everyone around you. I never thought of it like that."

"So… yeah," Seulgi sighs. "I'm in love with you. And everything that comes with that."

"Did you imagine our first kiss to be in your elementary school playground?" Sooyoung asks, pulling her close by the collar of her shirt.

Seulgi laughs, already tilting her head. Her eyes moved from Joy's lips to her eyes. "I was imagining you'd tell me you love me back first."

"I thought that was obvious," she giggles. "But yes. I'm in love with you, and everything that comes with that."

They're not sure who moved to close the distance between them, but the moment their lips slot together, everything else just melts away. Seulgi tastes like her favorite coffee and happiness and warmth. And so eager, her tongue is already licking hotly into Sooyoung's mouth. Sooyoung feels like she's on fire and she could burn all night long.

They're breathless when they pull away.

"No wonder they couldn't get enough of you," the younger girl teases, lips swollen and her head hazy with desire.

Seulgi giggles and goes in for a quick peck. "We should probably go. This is a blind spot but the security cameras still freak me out."

Sooyoung nods, giggling as they head back to the car.

"I didn't know how it started for me either," Joy shares as they walk with their arms looped together. "When I first started being much more affectionate with you I thought, but I'm touchy with any of my friends."

"Friends don't feel up each other like that," Seulgi teases, taking one of Joy's hands in hers. "You had hands up my shirt and down my shorts."

"That was after I realized I wanted you so intensely," she retorts. "I was ready to accept that I was just helplessly attracted to you. A crush. But before I knew it, you made your way into my heart. I've fallen in love."

"The tension was insane," the older girl smirks. "I haven't felt like that about anyone in so long. I'm still sorry for what happened. I tried so hard not to be reckless with you because you mean so much to me."

"No worries," she responds, making sure to make eye contact but it doesn't even last a second. If she kept staring, they wouldn't make it to the car. "I knew it was serious when I realized I really wanted to move on so I can start new with you."

"I'm glad we became the people we are now," the older girl says, rubbing a thumb across Sooyoung's knuckles. "It wouldn't have worked any other way."

"Or I could have been one of your one-time things if I tried modeling instead of becoming a barista in college," Joy says with a laugh. "I'm glad we're more than that."

"So… are we…" Seulgi laughs at herself. "Are we girlfriends now?"

Sooyoung blushes. "Yeah. We are. Look at you. Your first serious relationship."

"I'm planning to make it last," she tells her, eyes full of sincerity.

"That would be a team effort," Sooyoung replies. "Count me in."

The drive to the apartment could not feel any longer. They're holding hands and stealing kisses in traffic jams. When she doesn't need to use the gear shift, Seulgi's hand is on Sooyoung's thigh. It takes Joy everything to not just simply climb onto her lap.

She wants to take it all the way tonight. Sue her. They've been holding back so long, exchanging intimate touches before they even realized it was more than just attraction.

"Sooyoung," Seulgi gasps later when the taller girl has her pressed up against the door, sinking her teeth deliciously into the older girl's neck. "Slow down. We'll have many, many more days and nights together."

"But unnie," she whines, now placing hot, open-mouthed kisses up Seulgi's neck. "We've waited too long, haven't we?"

"Sooyoung," she tries again, trying not to buck into the thigh pressed between her legs. "I need to open the door."

"I'm sorry," Sooyoung giggles, stepping back to free her girlfriend. "I love you."

Seulgi giddily pulls her inside once the door finally opens. "I love you too."


	19. Day One

"Hi," Sooyoung says, raising the cup of honey lemon tea she prepared to hopefully treat the slight hoarseness in her voice.

"Good morning," Seulgi greets back, a megawatt smile on her face. She's all dressed up and ready for work now, a simple loose button down and jeans ensemble, with a brown paper bag and two cups in hand. "I got us breakfast."

Sooyoung thanks her, taking a bagel and a small packet of cream cheese. "Is this coffee?"

"Hot chocolate," the other girl says, pausing to stare at her lovingly. "Wow."

"What 'wow'?" She's barely put together. It took her a bit longer than usual to get out of bed this morning thanks to last night.

"My girlfriend is so beautiful," Seulgi answers, her smile so big her eyes are disappearing again.

Sooyoung blushes and leans in for a kiss that Seulgi immediately reciprocates. "And my girlfriend is gorgeous."

"How was your sleep?" the older girl asks, stirring her drink absently now. She must have eaten her food on the way back.

"I think it was a good decision that I insisted on changing the sheets right after," she responds, laughing. "Fresh sheets and my sexy girlfriend cuddling up to me. What more can I ask for?"

"Oh you asked for a lot last night," Seulgi teases.

"And you exceeded expectations," she says back, pulling her in for another kiss. She tugs lightly on her girlfriend's lower lip as she pulls away.

The older girl smiles smugly. "So did you."

"Satisfied?"

"For now," Seulgi says playfully. "Better enjoy this while you're still obsessed with me."

"I think I'll always be obsessed with you," Joy winks. "Alright, I need to finish preparing for work. Are we heading straight to the complex tonight?"

Seulgi nods as she finishes her breakfast. "I don't think we'll leave the apartment if we go back here first."

Sooyoung rolls her eyes and heads back to her room.

"So… how do we tell everyone?" the younger girl asks as they get into Seulgi's car.

Seulgi looks at her, pauses to think. "The whole office already thinks we're dating. Just be comfortable around me and let them run with it. Professional still, of course."

What she wasn't saying: Acceptable levels of PDA.

"I already told mom, by the way," Sooyoung tells her, shyly. "She called while you were out and I just couldn't help myself. Talked to her about how I talked to Seungwan too."

"Was I gone that long?" she wonders.

"Not really but it's not like she needed complete details. She told me you asked for her blessing."

It was Seulgi's turn to be all shy now. "She made me promise a lot of things."

"Like what?"

The driver shakes her head. "That would be between us. Not that I haven't already been doing a lot of those for you."

"Alright, Ms. Perfect Girlfriend. Do you know how long she's been calling you her in-law? Ever since we started living together."

"In-law?" Seulgi laughs. "Why did I have to ask you to be my girlfriend if we've been married before I even knew I love you?"

"You need to get me a ring now," the younger girl jokes. Is she really joking?

"That would be a very expensive ring if I followed that three month salary rule."

Sooyoung pinches her arm. "You don't have to flex on me like that."

"You're getting a pretty nice raise soon," Seulgi responds excitedly. "The lease will be up in a few months… we can get a nice new apartment with a large bedroom."

Sooyoung looks at her when she suddenly stops talking.

"I'm sorry," Seulgi mumbles. "Am I getting ahead of myself? I don't want to pressure you or anything."

"Should I start looking for a new apartment, then?" Sooyoung simply says, reaching over to squeeze the older girl's hand. "I've grown attached to our current place but we don't need two bedrooms anymore."

The driver smiles. "You're gonna make me cry. I can barely see even with lenses on, what more with tears in my eyes."

"I love you, you big baby," she tells her.

"I love you too."

"What do you think about converting my bedroom into a home office? We don't have a lot of time left in the lease but…"

"It will make us feel more real. More official?"

Sooyoung smiles. "Yeah. I can keep my clothes there so your room can still be spacious and be a place solely for resting."

"Resting, right," Seulgi teases, earning a sharp poke to her ribcage. "Let's sit down and discuss that tonight or tomorrow."

They enter the office with bright smiles and Seulgi does the same thing as the day before, giving Sooyoung a quick kiss and telling her to have a good day.

Ten immediately noticed the change in Joy's aura and looked at her knowingly.

Sooyoung confirms it's official the moment he greets her and the two have several coworkers looking their way when they try to squeal to themselves.

"I have some questions but I don't think I should be asking those about my direct supervisor," he says, laughing. "You should buy me lunch!"

"I'll buy you coffee."

Ten whines, "I had to listen to you pine over her helplessly for months."

"Fine," the creative groans. "Lunch and coffee. But delivered to the office because I have a lunch meeting today."

"Nooo how am I gonna get all the juicy details now?" he asks dramatically. "Fine. The office gossip has evolved anyway. Everyone's saying you're already planning to get married in Guam or something like that."

Sooyoung buries her face into her hands, then collects herself. "Haven't you heard? In my mom's head Seulgi unnie has been her in-law for a while."

Ten tries to control his laughter. "Mothers really just know things, huh."

The two separate for now, excusing themselves to attend to their work. Sooyoung needs to help the retainer clients in her portfolio find the right project managers for them.

Not to brag, but she's definitely a major factor in making sure these clients stay with the company. She knows their tastes and temperaments, understands what it takes to negotiate with them, and is absolutely pleasant to work with.

Her teammates have the same skillset, but their personalities are different. The clients have already replied expressing their congratulations while others voiced their worries about working with a new project manager.

Sooyoung already prepared a response. Only the person dealing with them directly will change but Sooyoung still has great influence over creative direction.

They will still be working with the same talented, disciplined team of creative professionals and can be assured they'll receive the same quality of work.

Her transition will have to come in phases, she thinks. She needs to inform her team about the clients she needs to turn over, interview ideal candidates for each, and give each one a thorough orientation of everything they need to know about working with a specific client.

If the situation calls for it, she can give them close attention until her, the new project manager, and the client feel comfortable with the new arrangement.

Client retention and deescalation are two skills that project managers often overlook. She decides she needs to do lectures on both if she wants to feel confident about leaving the team to themselves.

"Are you sure you aren't actually an operations manager?" Seulgi teases when Sooyoung makes a quick visit to her office to present her plan.

"I care about the company a lot," she answers, closing her eyes as she sinks into the small sofa.

"We didn't require a detailed transition plan from you but you really over-deliver every time, huh?"

Sooyoung lifts her head up to wink at her, "In every situation."

Seulgi chuckles and walks over to her. "You know what's best. You've been here 19 months and set high standards for others in your position."

"It's been that long?" she asks. She pulls her girlfriend closer by her belt loops and wraps her arms around Seulgi's hips.

"Right? Time flies," Seulgi says, brushing strands of hair out of Sooyoung's face. She looks like she's admiring the girl looking up at her. "Almost two years. Also this position would be so sexy if I had a c—"

Sooyoung tightens her grip around her girlfriend's hips. "Shut up."

The older girl laughs and apologizes. "Come, get up. Let me hug you."

She does as she's told and melts into Seulgi's arms instantly. "I gotta go. I have a lunch meeting."

Seulgi smiles when she feels how Sooyoung's cheek is squished against her shoulder. "Send your work transition plan to HR so they can arrange everything. It's good to go for me."

"And take care," she adds, pulling back briefly to look at her in the eyes and give her a chaste kiss.

"I'll be back. I love you."

"I love you, too," the older girl says back, waving at her.

It's going to be a busy transition period but at least it will be an organized one. Sooyoung updates her to-do list with everything she needs to prepare on the taxi ride to a restaurant in Gangnam.

The lunch meeting is a pleasant change of pace. Free steak and a mid-day glass of wine is always welcome, the client a young CEO of a new accessories brand. They needed help in connecting with idol stylists so they could get some hot names to wear their pieces at red carpets and music shows.

This is one of the last one-off projects she will be taking on as a project manager. Mino and Seulgi were usually the ones building connections for these things but she now also has her own network of stylists and visual directors.

She knows it would be impossible to send an offer to their DMs or emails without a prior connection. Every time someone follows back, she sends them a message to formally introduce herself and what she does. So far, everyone has welcomed her warmly.

"What are we looking for in a muse?" Joy asks after they exchange formalities. She smiles, uses "we", engages the client.

The client smiles back and gives her an answer she can work with. Smiling always works.

She pioneered a few things in the company, electronically generated contracts included. It's always easier to get a client to sign when the benefits are still fresh in their mind. 

Improving the standard contract was also her idea. She asked them to find a good lawyer so they can protect both the client and the company. So far, most of their clients have not requested any revisions to their clauses.

Once they settled on the requirements for the project, Sooyoung stayed for a little small talk before graciously excusing herself to return to the office.

There's a spring in her step as she leaves the restaurant, her work chat app exploding with congratulations as they're notified of a new signed contract.

"There's no one like you, Ms. Park," a younger project manager commented.

She smiled at the messages and sent a quick reply to the team's group chat. "I'll teach you all my tricks, don't worry."

Now. Time for some ice cream before she actually heads back.

The way Joy understands it, her new position takes her away from the demanding responsibilities of a project manager but it doesn't mean she has to give up doing what she loves. It gives her more time to focus on what she's good at.

Seulgi is still doing whatever she likes even from her new position, so Sooyoung figures she can keep doing what she likes from hers as well.

Mentoring others, strategizing, negotiating, and developing process and structure were not part of her main responsibilities but those are things that light up her fire.

When she arrives at the office, her teammates bring out their party blowers and pompoms to celebrate the new contract. It's a goofy little office tradition that's been around so long, no one really remembers who started it.

Once the impromptu celebration dies down, she returns to her desk to plan the project.

"Unnie, hi."

She looks up to smile at Kim Yerim. "Hello. Thank you for your help last week."

"You're welcome," she smiles back. "Congratulations, by the way."

"On the new contract? Thank you. Celebrity fashion marketing is always fun," Joy replies, now working on her to-do list for this project.

"That, but also about you and Seulgi unnie. At least the office gossip is accurate now," the intern teases.

Sooyoung laughs softly. "Haven't you heard? They're now saying we're planning our wedding."

"Are you not?" Yerim asks, giggling. "You'd be so good for each other. If you'll have kids, I'd be a great auntie. I have three younger sisters so I'm great with babies!"

"Let's not get too excited," she tells her, trying not to smile so brightly. It's only day one.

"I'll be rooting for you!" the girl continues enthusiastically. "Can I shadow you, by the way? I haven't been assigned to a celebrity fashion marketing project and I've always been interested in how it works."

Sooyoung always loves an eager learner. She pulls a seat back for her and tells her to sit. "I'll show you how I do things."

"You have really good posture," Yerim comments, trying to copy how she's sitting.

"Exercise and confidence," the creative advised. "Fake it until you make it."

The intern tells her she doesn't have any urgent tasks on her plate. She sits with Sooyoung throughout the afternoon, observing how she works and the process behind projects like these.

"I wish I was famous so people would give me free stuff too. I'll be super diligent in posting about it, even exceeding what the brand asks for," Yerim says, looking at the previous projects Sooyoung showed her. "Who even buys this? Do idols have fans this rich?"

"Sure, there will be some fans who can actually afford this stuff," the older girl explains. "But a lot of the people who have money to buy and will actually buy aren't really fans."

"Then why would they?" the intern asks, recalling how she bought a pair of shoes because this singer she liked wore it.

"They are people who want to present themselves as attractive or rich or a fashion icon," Sooyoung tells her. "So if they own something that a much-loved celebrity is seen with, it will send other people that message. Personal branding."

Yerim nods, understanding now. "Do they get to keep the stuff?"

"Depends on the brand. For less expensive stuff or if they're a big brand, they can afford to just give it away. More expensive items can be purchased by the celebrity if they really like it or they can return it after the event. Or if the brand is happy with the results of the campaign, it's given as a gift."

She turns to look at the younger girl when she doesn't respond.

"Ah," Yerim groans. "I should have just listened to Joohyun unnie when she told me to audition for SM. Imagine all the free stuff I could be getting. Do you think I would have been a successful idol, unnie?"

Sooyoung laughs the loudest she's had all day. "I think you're very charming so yes. Doesn't Joohyun unnie give you free stuff?"

The intern nods. "Especially back when she hated using bags."

"Why is that, by the way?"

"There was a time she left her bag in a taxi in high school and lost it," Yerim explained. "So for the longest time she just kept her stuff in her pockets or hands."

"You two look like you're having fun," Seulgi suddenly chimes in.

"I was telling her about the time Joohyun unnie lost her bag in a taxi," the intern shares, laughing.

Seulgi started laughing with her. "She had her phone in her pockets thankfully."

"What brings you here?" Sooyoung asks.

"Is that how you greet your girlfriend?" the director asks, lowering her voice.

"Sooyoung unnie, you're blushing," Yerim teases.

Joy reaches for Seulgi's wrist and smiles. "I'm sorry, babe. What's up?"

The younger girl looks around awkwardly. "Should I go or—"

"No, I'll be quick," Seulgi says. "Stay there so you'll learn something. I just wanted to let Joy know we're leaving at 5:30PM."

Sooyoung looks at her watch then back up at Seulgi. "That's in 40 minutes. Yerim, we're almost done anyway. I'll try to finish before 5:15. You're going to Wendy's event, right?"

Yerim's eyes widen. "Oh my god. That's today."

"Did you accidentally plan something with friends? You are the project manager for this," the creative reminds sternly.

"Your evaluation is coming up," Seulgi adds, a concerned look on her face.

The two breathe a sigh of relief when Yerim tells them she has the evening free.

"I just knew I was forgetting something…"

Seulgi walks around the desk to squeeze hard on Yerim's shoulders. "You should be more responsible."

The intern winced. "Unnie! Ouch. Okay!"

"Do you need a ride?" the older girl asks.

Sooyoung looks at Yerim and mouths 'tell her no'. The girl looks at her and up at Seulgi, unsure what to do.

"If Sooyoung unnie doesn't mind?" she squeaks, prompting Joy to pinch her lightly under the table. "I don't want to invade your privacy."

"Nonsense," Seulgi says, much to Sooyoung's agony. "We're all friends. I basically raised you."

"Joohyun unnie will fight you on that," the girl points out. Seulgi just squeezes her shoulders hard again.

"Sooyoung, love," she adds quietly, "We'll have a lot of time alone together, okay? There's still the ride back home."

"Ew," Yerim says, scrunching her face up in disgust. "TMI!" 

Joy pinches Yerim again. "Get your mind out of the gutter."

"This is abuse of power," the girl whines. "I'll take a nap in the backseat so you can kiss or whatever."

Seulgi tells her that won't be necessary and she'll try not to make the ride awkward for her, Sooyoung is forced to promise the same.

"Alright, I'll leave you two be. I already ate so much of your time so let's leave at 5:45 instead."

"See you," Joy says, reaching out to squeeze her girlfriend's hand.

"Don't give Sooyoung a headache, Yerim-ah," the older girl tells her, ruffling her hair.

Yerim protests. "Tell her to be good to me too! You met me first!"

The couple only laughs at the poor kid. What a fun night ahead of them.


	20. Roaring

The actual ride to the complex is more crowded than expected. Seulgi inevitably offers Ten a ride and tells him she can call her noona if he likes.

He's more than thrilled. Seulgi is his direct supervisor and someone he looked up to. Never mind that she's his office best friend's girlfriend. He sees her as a megastar even if he's been at the company longer than Sooyoung has.

The entire trip felt like a meet & greet and Sooyoung, feeling left out, resorted to texting Yerim and Joohyun.

"Yerim, figure out how to bring us back to the conversation."

"Joohyun unnie, we're on our way to the complex. Are you still coming?"

She drops her phone on her lap but it falls all the way to the floor.

"Sooyoung, are you okay?" Seulgi drops the conversation to check on her. They're in the middle of a traffic jam and she looked extremely concerned.

"I'm fine," she says dismissively, bending to pick up her phone. There's not enough space to look down there for someone her height. Her chest is pressed uncomfortably against the glovebox as she blindly moves her hands across the floor.

"Babe, you might want to move the chair backwards so you have more room," her girlfriend suggests.

Sooyoung grimaces as she tries one more time. Finally, she relents and sits up so Seulgi can help her adjust the chair.

"Ten, can you move to the middle? We need to move the chair back and your legs might get caught."

"He's barely an inch taller than me, he doesn't need that much leg room," Sooyoung says, still displeased.

"Hey," the boy protests as he does as Seulgi asked. "That's foul."

Seulgi easily moves the chair back with a pull of a lever, blushing when Sooyoung kisses her cheek as her face comes close to hers.

"Thank you," Sooyoung says as she retrieves her phone, smiling now. She winks at Ten as she effortlessly adjusts her seat by herself.

"Congratulations" was the first text she saw from Yerim. "I saw that. Gross."

"When you fall in love, you'll see," she replies.

She checks her notifications and opens Joohyun's reply saying she's already at the venue.

"Did she take a helicopter or something?" Sooyoung says out loud in disbelief.

"Joohyun unnie is already there?" Seulgi asks. "Maybe she had no prior commitments. It's usually easier for her to arrive at an event before or after everyone has gotten in."

"Right. She's a celebrity."

"You'd think you won't forget because her face is on everything everywhere but once you get to know her…" Yerim cackles.

"She's so—" Seulgi starts.

"—annoying," Yerim says at the same time.

"Are you excited to meet human being Bae Joohyun, Ten?" Sooyoung asks playfully.

Ten says he doesn't know. "How different is she from actress Irene Bae?"

The three girls just laugh even harder.

If Ten was starstruck with Seulgi, even more so with Joohyun. They introduce him to her at Seulgi's personal studio within the complex and he spends a good deal of time talking about how big of a fan he is.

"I'd love to stay with you guys for the rest of the night but I invited some of my friends so I'll go out and meet them," he explains when it looks like he's embarrassed himself enough. "See you around later!"

"See you," the girls greet simultaneously.

"Is he single?" Yerim asks suddenly.

The older girls look at her with raised brows.

"Yerim," Seulgi says. "I don't think he's…"

"He's seeing someone," Joy answers. "Wonder if they're here tonight."

"Oh cool," the youngest says. "His phone kept buzzing in his pocket earlier. It almost drove me insane. No wonder."

"They must really like him, then," Seulgi says.

The studio is even more spacious than Seulgi's office. She loves white walls, Sooyoung realizes now, with her furniture usually monochrome with an accent color. This space is filled with greys and blues.

There's a sofa and a mini fridge and a television on the wall while one corner has an office desk and a shelf with books on her hobbies. Most of the space is filled by her work table and the many art materials and photography equipment in seemingly organized disorder.

"So you finally got together," Joohyun says, teasing the couple.

Seulgi is sitting on the edge of her work table and Sooyoung is leaning backwards against her, allowing her to feel how the older girl's heart started racing at the comment.

"I knew she liked you before she knew she liked you," the actress continues, looking at Sooyoung now. Seulgi is pressing her forehead against the back of her girlfriend's neck, flustered.

"It's cute," Sooyoung says, turning to tilt Seulgi's face towards her. "Don't be embarrassed."

The other girl smiles and they share a quick kiss.

"She told me all the major stuff you had to pull her out of," Joy tells Irene. "I'm really grateful for what you've done for her and for me."

Joohyun smiles, understanding. "She's also motivated me to be better for myself so it's even. The concept of someone believing in you is so powerful, you know?"

Sooyoung nods. "I know that now."

"Is Yerim asleep on the couch?" Seulgi asks, pointing to the girl who's obviously snoring.

"She is."

"Wake her up."

"Let's go see Wendy?"

"And leave her alone here?"

"I wanna go see Wendy!" Yerim suddenly exclaims, jolting up from her nap.

The older girls laugh and Seulgi gets everyone a drink from the mini fridge, bringing an extra one for Wendy.

Seulgi tells them more about the complex as they move towards the waiting room for artists. As the project developed, they realized they wanted a bigger performance space where everyone could gather. Music can be such a unifying art form.

Sooyoung surprises everyone by being the first to greet Seungwan when they arrive, even giving her a hug.

"You're all here!" the singer exclaims happily, hugging everyone except Joohyun who is still more of an acquaintance.

"Ms. Irene," she says in acknowledgement, bowing to her. "My album is not out yet so I can't give you a signed one but it's an honor to meet you."

Irene shyly gives her a small bow back and tells her to drop the formalities. "Call me unnie. These kids are my friends, and you're their friend, so no need to be so formal."

"Irene unnie?"

"Joohyun unnie," the three others say in unison.

"Baechu unnie," Seulgi adds, giggling.

"I know her nickname," Seungwan responds shyly. "I'm a fan."

Joohyun thanks her and laughs when the singer talks about how she felt when she saw her reply to her comment.

"I agreed with you," the actress says. "And I love giving talented people free signal boosts."

Wendy smiles, still shy. "Pretty sure the tickets to this show started selling faster after there were articles about it."

"See," Seulgi says. "Everyone benefits from the Irene Effect."

"Their agency did a great job promoting the event," the actress says. "Although I already knew about you before I even knew who you were to Sooyoung."

Sooyoung held her breath for half a second before everyone started laughing.

"Joohyun unnie said she liked you," Seulgi shared. "Like she kept singing one of your songs at one point. Whenever she had earphones on and started singing… She can sing but it was hilarious. She acted all heartbroken when she hasn't been on a date in ages."

The actress glares at her and says she was researching for a role.

"Do you know, by the way?" Joohyun asks, pointing to the couple. Always quick to change the topic.

"Just now," Wendy answers. "I told Sooyoung to go get the girl after we talked. She really went and did it right away."

Joy laughs. "You're usually right about things so…"

"I'm happy for you two, I really am," Wendy tells them, making sure to make eye contact with Seulgi then Sooyoung.

A manager comes in to call Wendy for technical rehearsals. Wendy waves to them and tells them they can talk more when the show ends.

"Do we go out now?" Joohyun asks, waving politely at the production staff who stop to stare at her when they pass by the entrance.

"There's a balcony where we can see everything but with a little privacy. Mino wanted to have this VIP lounge for him and his friends," Seulgi tells them. "We can use it. Maybe Joohyun unnie would prefer that? We can order food and drinks and the staff can bring it to us."

"I think I want to watch the show up close," Yerim says, already much more energized than earlier. "I haven't watched a live performance in a while."

"Don't worry about me," Joohyun responds. "I'll go with Yerim. People usually don't give me a second look in a dim venue."

Seulgi looks at Sooyoung and asks her what she thinks.

"She's been dying to have you to herself, unnie," Yerim teases.

Sooyoung shoots daggers at the girl with her eyes.

"We'll leave you two to discuss," the eldest among them says with a smile, dragging Yerim with her.

"So… what do you prefer?" Seulgi asks, the waiting room now empty.

"How many minutes until the show starts?"

The older girl raises her brows. "What are you thinking of, baby?"

Sooyoung tugs at the collar of her shirt. "Can we go back to your studio for a bit?"

Seulgi hesitates, but only for the shortest minute, because the way Sooyoung is looking at her is enough to break her resolve.

She admires the way Sooyoung already remembers the way back. The password-protected door locks behind them and Sooyoung immediately takes to the couch.

"What is this, Sooyoung?" the older girl asks as she's pulled closer, mirroring their position at Seulgi's office earlier except the younger girl is palming her ass instead of hugging her hips.

Joy smiles up at her instead of responding, kissing the skin exposed by the cropped shirt Seulgi changed into before leaving.

Seulgi is still very much confused but she continues to gently run her fingers through the other girl's hair, squirming when Sooyoung licks into her navel.

"You need to tell me what you want, baby," Seulgi tells her, gently pushing her until she's leaning fully against the sofa back. Seulgi moves forward to sit on her shins on either side of the younger girl's thighs, straddling her.

The taller girl looks up at her, anticipating, and Seulgi leans in to kiss her deeply. She kisses back, smiling.

"What's this?" Seulgi asks again when they pull away, taking Sooyoung's hands into hers when they try to move up her shirt again.

She still doesn't answer, only leans back as far as she could to give more access to Seulgi who is now creating a path of hot wet kisses up her neck. The older girl nibbles on her earlobe and asks again, "tell me what you want."

"Unnie," she finally says, clenching her fists from where Seulgi is holding them down. Is she calling out to her or is that her answer?

"Yes, baby?" Seulgi asks, giving her a kiss on the forehead and loosening her grip. "Tell me, please."

"I think I just want to kiss," Sooyoung tells her, her hands on Seulgi's shoulders now.

"See, that's better," the older girl says, smiling. "But you have to make up for the way I'm pretty much ruined down there."

Sooyoung laughs and nods, "We're even then. Later."

"Later," Seulgi agrees, kissing her again without missing a beat.

They haven't missed anything by the time they go out into the audience area. It's a tight crowd but they have a public image to uphold so they took their time to look decent again.

Seulgi is still recovering from the fact they defiled her studio. They failed miserably at keeping it to only kissing.

("Now you'd think of me every time you work here," Sooyoung whispered mischievously.)

"Do you want a drink?" Seulgi asks as a mobile bar comes into view. Wendy's agency asked to hire two. There's another one at the other end of the performance area, if she remembers the floorplan correctly. University students seem to be loving it.

"Are you getting one?" Sooyoung asks. "You're driving later and your alcohol tolerance is not that great."

"I could use one. Just one, I promise. I just need to," she says, clearing her throat. "Dull my urge to ditch this and bring you back in there."

The younger girl giggles and orders a Jack Coke for them both. "Damn. We really awakened the monster in you, huh?"

Seulgi shrugs, her laughter drowned out by the speakers. They're playing Wendy's first two music videos and she's coming up next.

"We should have brought some water from your mini fridge," Sooyoung nearly yells into her ear.

"We can always go back," the other girl tells her, although it might not be a good idea. "I told you to drink more water earlier."

Wendy's set immediately starts with a cover of an R&B song she wrote for a male artist. This version is stripped down for an acoustic guitar accompaniment. The song was a sleeper hit, rising to popularity after a character of a top-rating drama was shown listening to it months after release.

"She writes a lot for male artists," Seulgi observes.

"Her songs really don't have pronouns," the other girl answers, sipping on her drink. "And Seungwan is more popular as a guy's name so she just went along with it until she got interviews."

"Doesn't she also write for boy groups?"

Sooyoung nods. "Agencies wanted more of those 'I will be your man', 'I will treat you right' kind of songs and she had a great time writing lyrics for them."

Seulgi laughs. "Oh so those boyfriend kind of songs that get young girls thinking they can actually date these men."

"At least she incorporated more… modern views," the younger girl responds, smiling fondly.

The crowd erupts into applause when the song ends. Wendy thanks the crowd for coming, giving a bit of background about the song.

"Tonight is all about introducing me as an artist," she tells the crowd. "But we can't do that without looking back at what brought me here. So I'm doing covers of my favorites among the songs I wrote for other artists and later, I'm performing my two singles. I have a little surprise for you all at the end so I hope you'll stay til then! Don't worry, we'll end before the buses stop running."

The last part earns a laugh from the audience and Seungwan looks relieved. She wanted the event to feel more authentic and intimate so she didn't want them to hire an emcee.

It was a bold choice for someone who is technically a rookie singer but it proved to pay off as the night went on. People were cheering, laughing, and singing along.

After a string of slower songs, the crowd roared to life when Wendy performed a rock ballad she wrote for an OST and followed it with a livelier rock version of one of her boy group songs.

"She's embarrassing the original singers," Seulgi jokes in between sets. Wendy went backstage for an intermission and they're playing an interview they recorded for this show.

"Technically, she is the original singer," Sooyoung responds, turning her attention to the screen.

The singer looks nervous but happy in the interview. They thought it would be funny to make her do a profile as if she was an idol, followed by more insightful questions about her work so far and what she hopes to achieve in the future.

"What do you think of the hardships you went through to get to where you are?" The interviewer asks.

Seungwan looks to the side thoughtfully, patting away the tears welling up in her eyes. "I drifted away from a lot of people I love. But I'm working hard to reconnect with those who matter the most. Last year, my mom told me she was sorry for doubting my dreams of having a successful career in music."

"When I got my first song out as a songwriter," she continued in the interview. "I was still a student abroad. I decided I wanted to pursue it seriously so I gave up everything and moved here. There were disagreements. Maybe I was a little naive. But I found an amazing support system who helped me get through it all."

Wendy pauses to wipe her tears away again. In the audience, Seulgi is hugging an emotional Sooyoung.

"Perhaps I didn't realize I wasn't doing my part for someone who gave so much to me," the singer says in the video. "I lost this precious person but I had a chance to talk to them recently."

"When was this filmed?" Sooyoung asks, now holding onto an empty cup.

"It was scheduled for last Saturday," Seulgi answers, taking the disposable cups. "I'll go get you water. Stay here."

"We're trying to make amends and if it works out I'll be happy to have regained a great friend," Wendy concludes in the interview, smiling.

Joy smiles too. Perhaps she can reconsider what she was made to believe about exes being friends.

"I want to sing until I can't anymore," Wendy says to the interviewer, a determined look on her face. "I'll take good care of my voice and my health, of course. But I want to make it to my 10th 20th 50th anniversary as a singer. As long as there are people who will listen to me, I won't stop singing."

The interview ends with a lighter note and Seulgi returns on time, two bottles of water in hand.

"Are you okay, baby?" the older girl asks, helping Sooyoung pat her tears dry.

Sooyoung takes a bottle of water and drinks all of it at once.

"You know where the restroom is, right?" Seulgi teases, drinking from her own bottle of water.

Wendy returns to the stage with the crowd chanting "Son Seungwan" repeatedly. The couple joins in passionately. When the first note of the instrumental hits, everyone gets lost in the beauty of her own music as a solo artist.

She's visibly nervous when the second song ends and the lights dim, the giant screen now playing the concept teaser for her upcoming debut album. She made the music for the teaser herself, not wanting to reveal any of the songs just yet, but it expressed the theme of the album beautifully.

"My first mini album is coming out in two weeks," Seungwan says excitedly as the lights turn back on. "Thank you for coming tonight! Enjoy the rest of your evening. We have a few people performing for an open mic so stick around, get some drinks, make friends!"

"Unnie," Sooyoung whispers.

"Should we go to the waiting room now?"

She shakes her head. "I need to go to the restroom."

"Let's use the one in my studio," Seulgi suggests.

"Unnie, I need to pee," the younger girl whines.

"I know! And you can do that faster in a private restroom than the one open to the public."

Sooyoung is surprised to see it's a full bathroom instead of just a restroom. Her girlfriend explains she never imagined herself to be dating by this time so she wanted to be able to sleep and bathe there if her work called for it.

"So this is why your couch is actually a sofa bed," she says, laughing.

"Very comfortable earlier, right?" Seulgi winks.

The younger girl pushes her shoulder lightly. "Let's go meet Wendy before you get other ideas."

The couple reunites with their friends in Wendy's waiting room. They congratulate her for a successful show and express their excitement for the album.

"Are you doing fansigns?" Yerim jokes.

"I'll give all of you signed copies," the singer reassures them.

Seulgi is as accommodating as ever when Seungwan asks her if she can talk to Sooyoung privately.

"I hope you're cool with me kind of talking about you in the interview," she says shyly.

"No problem," the other girl responds. "I'm happy we can be friends now."

The singer lights up immediately. "We're friends now?"

"Of course," Sooyoung tells her. "Everything is behind us. We can hang out and talk any time we're free."

"Seulgi looks like she doesn't want you to ever leave her side," Wendy says, frowning.

"I didn't think she'd become so clingy when we became official," the other girl laughs. "But there's work to do and she'll eventually want to have her 'me time' again."

The short-haired girl nods in understanding. "She'll figure it out. You're her first girlfriend, right?"

"Her first serious relationship, yeah," she replies. "This is literally only day one. So she's very… intense."

Wendy picks up on the connotation and laughs. "I thought she'd be a little mellow since you've been friends for a long time. I guess that only created a lot of repressed tension. On the other hand, we were never really just friends to begin with."

Sooyoung nods. "Pretty sure she's obsessed with me the way I was obsessed with you."

"I hope you're just as obsessed with her," the other girl says with a smile.

"Of course."

"I'm in no position to say this because I've hurt you deeply before but if she hurts you?" Seungwan does that shadow boxing thing that she does and they laugh.

"Be careful, she's a really good boxer," Sooyoung jokes.

"What can't she do?" Seungwan pouts. "Let's go back to the others."

When they return to the other girls, Yerim is laughing at poor Kang Seulgi getting a scolding from Joohyun. Sooyoung doesn't want to know what the eldest among them found out but she figures it out anyway.

"Sooyoung," she whispers. "Don't let that devil Kang Seulgi steal your focus and time. It doesn't hurt to maintain the self-control you had before you confessed to each other."

She laughs to herself when Joohyun moves away, looking very concerned. Little does she know there are two demons in that apartment.

"Let's have dinner, the five of us," Irene announces. "It's on me."

"There's a really good grilled meat place nearby. We can just walk," Seulgi suggests enthusiastically.

"Just say you suck at parking," Yerim jeers.

Joohyun surprises Seulgi by coming to her defense. "She's improved a lot. Sooyoung, do you have a license?"

She nods in response. "I got the permanent one last April."

"Then Kim Yerim can't say anything about anyone's driving skills," Joohyun says.

"It's okay, I don't have mine either," Wendy shares, trying to reassure the youngest.

"Can you three even reach the pedals?" Sooyoung jokes, running out of the room with Seulgi before Joohyun can throw an empty water bottle at them.


	21. Comforting embrace

By the end of that night’s dinner, all of them were drunk to their limits and there was no way the couple could make it up to their apartment safely even if they took a taxi.

Joohyun, being the eldest and the one with the best alcohol tolerance, made it her responsibility to make sure everyone was safe somewhere.

After giving the couple an earful, she walks them to the creative complex so they can spend the night in the studio while she tries to get a hold of Wendy’s manager using Yerim’s phone.

The youngest of the quintet had to go home with her cousin because there’s no way her mother would let her in at this hour.

Everything went better than expected and Wendy was absorbed seamlessly into their little group without issue.

They all got to know each other better, it was only a matter of bridging the gap between the two who only admired each other's work from a distance without knowing each other personally.

They learned a lot of things about each other. At their core, they believed in the same things and loathed the same kind of people.

There were also a handful of interesting facts.

First, Sooyoung wasn't much of a drinker before meeting Seungwan. She would drink politely with her friends and classmates but when they met, the older girl trained her to improve her tolerance.

The singer, who had previously lived and studied abroad, spent a great deal of time away from her parents and her long log of drunken adventures started in high school.

Second, Yerim's first drinking session was with Joohyun and Seulgi under the guise of a celebratory sleepover when she started university. At least when she embarrassed herself, it was with them and not virtual strangers who could make her viral.

Which was what happened with Seulgi, who had to live through the spread of videos of her falling on her butt and laughing to the point of tears at her university's athletics field.

Everyone was over it when they had a new victim by the next weekend. But it didn't mean no one brought it up every now and then.

(The most recent one was when she was doing her round of interviews about the launch of the creative complex.

Her problem with these encounters was that she never has any idea who these people are, but they knew exactly who she was.

"Kang Seulgi? You majored in visual arts, right? We went to the same university. Everyone knows you as the girl who laughed til she cried after the freshmen orientation party. You were so red. I'm so sorry. This is just so crazy. Who would have thought?")

Joohyun? As far as she's concerned, she has a high alcohol tolerance but sometimes she just doesn't feel like drinking. She takes celebratory shots and indulges when a friend needs a good cry but now alcohol is hitting her much faster than it used to.

But because she was paying, no one had the guts to say what was on their mind.

(At least not at the table.

"Signs of aging," Seulgi laughed to Wendy later as they washed their hands at the ladies restroom.

When they returned to the table, Joohyun was losing her mind watching the youngest two threaten violence and bicker.)

Seulgi was barely holding it together as they waited in the complex's lobby for Seungwan's manager.

The singer was doing better than she was, but still going on a drunken monologue about how the five of them should do a project album together.

"How did she get this idea, again?" Sooyoung asked a dazed Yerim.

"When we were singing along to this song and the music suddenly stopped but we kept going," the youngest answers. "We did sound great together, though."

Yerim thinks talking was a mistake. Her dinner immediately threatened to go up her esophagus. She covers her mouth and Sooyoung offers her a drink of water.

"Kim Yerim," Joohyun called out. "Keep it down. That meal was expensive."

She just nods and drinks more water.

"There's a Hyundai parking out front," Joy tells the others. "Is that Seungwan's manager?"

"We're in Korea," Seulgi mumbles, eyes failing her now. "Every other car is a Hyundai or a Kia."

Yerim yawns. "We get it. You own a Mini Cooper."

"Yep, that's my ride," Wendy answers. "Guys, I'm telling you. The project album. I'll make it happen, you'll see."

"Let's focus on your debut mini first," Sooyoung replies. "Bye, Seungwan."

The singer nearly walks into the glass door as she walks out of the lobby, turning so she can wave at the other girls until they can no longer see her.

"Alright," the eldest then says, dragging Yerim by the back of her shirt. "Our ride is right around the corner."

"Bye unnie. Bye goblin," Seulgi says, laughing to herself.

Her girlfriend rolls her eyes at her and waves goodbye to them too. "Take care, you two."

Perhaps Seulgi was onto something when she bought a sofa bed for her personal studio.

She’s conscious enough to remember the password for the door but that was it. She immediately threw herself on the sofa bed which they forgot to fold back after they got a little too enthusiastic earlier that night.

Sooyoung, the more sensible of the two, still had the energy to wash up properly. She put on some comfortable clothes from the small closet Seulgi had there and took another set to get her girlfriend changed.

“Kang Seulgi,” she called out, gently patting her cheeks.

“Park Sooyoung,” she manages to say, slurring. “You’re wearing my clothes.”

“Yes, and we need to get you changed,” the more sober of the couple said.

Seulgi is cooperative, thankfully. She raised her arms over her head and lifted her ass off the bed when she was asked, making this an easy task for Sooyoung.

“You’re the best, babe,” the drunk one giggles, holding her arms out. “Come, give me a kiss.”

“You taste like disinfectant, love,” Sooyoung tells her. “I helped myself to some mouthwash in your bathroom.”

The older girl whines and forces herself to get up, pressing her palms into her eyes when the anticipated headache comes. “Fine. I’ll brush my teeth and gargle.”

“Wash your face too, if you can.”

“How come you don’t have a headache?” she asked, squinting. “Ah. I need to take my contacts out.”

Sooyoung takes a bottle of water from the mini fridge and hands it to her. “Because I actually drink water when the group’s mom friend tells me.”

Seulgi squints again, chugging down the water bottle in one go. “I should probably get a water dispenser and a tumbler instead.”

“Smart girl,” her girlfriend coos. “That way you also give Joohyun unnie less ammunition when you get on her nerves.”

The older girl waves her off and heads to the bathroom while Sooyoung finds extra pillows and a blanket for tonight’s sleeping arrangement.

Even if Seulgi can be a bit lost sometimes, she really does consider everything.

Their kitchen back at the apartment has a sufficient set of cooking tools and appliances, and the older girl even has a toolbox and medicine kit for emergencies. She never had to say, “Why don’t you own this or that?” in the time they have lived together.

“I am using muscle memory to move across this space, I cannot see anything,” Seulgi says on her way back, laughing at herself. She’s raising her arms in front of her as if that would help.

“You’re so blind. And you tell me I’m beautiful in the morning?”

“I have memorized every detail of you, love. I don’t need to see it clearly,” she responds, crawling onto her side of the bed. It’s not their bed, exactly, but Seulgi always seems to prefer the right side.

“So corny too,” Sooyoung teases, grabbing her face to leave kisses on her cheeks, nose, and forehead.

“You love it,” Seulgi tells her, going in for a kiss on the lips. She groans when she places her head back on the pillow.

“You won’t take a painkiller or something?” her girlfriend asks, eyes closed now. She loves her but she’s not going to get up and get one when her body is calling her to sleep.

Seulgi shakes her head, eyes closed and unaware the other girl can’t see her. “Mom said I shouldn’t be too reliant on painkillers. We’ll see in the morning.”

The younger girl snorts and turns to cuddle up against her. “Turn off the lights.”

“Ari-yah,” Seulgi calls out, activating her AI speakers. “Turn off the lights.”

“Wow, technology.”

Seulgi scrunches her face happily. “Good night. I love you.”

“I love you too. Sleep well, babe.”

The universe is forgiving. Seulgi doesn’t wake up with a headache and Sooyoung manages to create an outfit that is still so her using the clothes Seulgi had around.

“It’s just that these pants look cropped on me but it’s a nice touch,” Sooyoung laughs.

The older girl was busy putting away the beddings and folding the sofa bed back. “Why do my clothes look so good on you?”

“Thank you for preferring loose fit clothes,” the other girl winks.

Seulgi gives her a flying kiss and heads off to the shower.

“If you don’t have anything to do at the office today,” she suggests later when she’s all dressed. “We can work from here. I’ll send a message to HR. You have your laptop with you, right?”

Sooyoung nods and checks her schedule. There’s nothing she needs to meet others personally for. “I guess I can chat if I need anything.”

“You can work anywhere in the complex if you like,” Seulgi tells her. “The cafe opens at 11AM. If they’ve cleaned up the performance space, there’s a few picnic tables there. Plenty of sockets if you need to charge.”

“Getting rid of me already?” the younger girl pouts.

Seulgi walks away from her laptop to poke the other girl’s cheek. “I’m just presenting your options.”

“I’ll behave, if that’s a concern,” Sooyoung replies. It’s her turn to pinch her girlfriend’s cheeks now. She tries to stretch them into a smile.

The other girl fails to keep a straight face and ends up laughing. “I just don’t want you to feel like you have to be with me all the time.”

“But will you miss me?”

“Yes,” she smiles. “I will miss you. We literally live together. I’m your girlfriend. I won’t disappear, I promise.”

Sooyoung tries to keep herself from smiling like an idiot. “What are you working on today?”

“A tote bag design for this organics brand,” she answers. “Their internal marketing team reached out to me and Mino, and a few other artists. There are five of us, I think?”

“My girlfriend is so talented and in-demand,” the younger girl fawns. “I know you hate it when people watch you draw unless you offer to show them so I’ll go up to the cafe when it opens.”

“Alright,” Seulgi answers, her smile falling suddenly not too long after. “I’m sorry. I should have just told you that I wanted to work comfortably instead of trying to make it sound like I was doing you a favor.”

Sooyoung looks at her in confusion. “I wasn’t being passive-aggressive, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“No, no, no. I’m just,” the director sighs. “It’s something I’m still trying to work on, being more direct.”

“And you know I’ll be blunt if you do anything I don’t like,” the younger girl replies. “It’s alright. Thank you for trying to be a better communicator.”

"It's not just for you, don't be so flattered," Seulgi jokes.

“I know. A lot of people will appreciate it,” Sooyoung replies, pressing gently on her nose. “I’ll work on the sofa until the cafe opens. Where will we eat lunch?”

“If you order anything at the cafe, just tell them to put it on my tab,” Seulgi tells her.

“Do they know I’m your girlfriend?”

The older girl shakes her head. “Show them your company ID.”

“I haven’t used that for anything in forever,” Sooyoung replies, fishing out her wallet to look for the card. “Got it. I would love to put some money back into the company but my lovely girlfriend offered.”

Seulgi smiles and kisses her. “If you like anything in the lunch menu, we can eat there. If you have something else in mind, let me know.”

She nods and pulls her in for a deep kiss, both of them smiling into it. “Is the sexy cofounder not on the menu?”

“It’s only 9AM, Sooyoung,” the older girl says. “No, but you know how else to get it.”

Joy bites back a smile. “I’ll get myself an early start. I have a lot to do.” Transition plans and the accessories campaign, right.

Seulgi pats her cheeks. “Alright, have a good day. I love you.”

She gives her the brightest smile. “I love you too.”

Her mischievous plan to imprint herself into Seulgi's mind last night seems to work. The artist has her back turned against the area where they did the deed and there's a tell-tale look in her eyes whenever she takes a quick peek at Sooyoung working happily on the couch.

She doesn't know how long the effects would last but she's not exactly working without issue either. Sooyoung squeezes her eyes shut tight when a particularly distracting flashback hits her and her toes curl.

Seulgi notices, because that's what always happens when Joy hopes she doesn't.

"We'll take care of that tonight, Ms. Park," she then says, smiling smugly.

Sooyoung presses her lips into a thin line and clicks her tongue. "Tonight. Alright."

"Yep. Busy day ahead for the both of us."

They make it to 10:45AM by talking all the way through it. Take back what she said about them being demons. She's certain Seulgi is just an angel with a mischievous side. She doesn't bring it up again and instead talks about their childhood pets, their favorite anime series growing up, and surprises Joy by knowing her preferences when it comes to polarizing food opinions.

It was expected they won't agree on everything but they're not going to go to war about it. Seulgi learned how to deal with it through Joohyun over the years. They can afford to order two different things or just eat something alone if it comes to it.

Sooyoung lets Seulgi have a kiss ("Make it last as long as you want," she tells her) before excusing herself so she can continue working at the cafe.

To Joy’s surprise, the barista at the cafe recognizes her and follows her on Instagram.

The cofounders seemed to have an extra qualification for their baristas. Other than experience, they seem to have real interest in any form of the arts.

The hopeful college junior talking to Joy right now is studying to be an art director and dreams of styling sets for photoshoots and music videos.

Those are not within Joy’s repertoire but she admires her for her general artistic taste and fashion.

“I love your outfit,” the girl says, trying her best not to squeal as she prepares Sooyoung’s iced coffee. “I think I’ve seen that top before.”

Sooyoung’s eyes widens for a second so she immediately pretends it’s something shocking on her phone.

“Right,” the barista says as if she finally remembered. “Director Kang wore the same top for an interview on the opening of this creative complex!”

“Yeah, I thought it was cute so I bought one just like it,” the creative tries, smiling politely as she receives her iced coffee.

“Oh my god. Really?” Wow. This girl is full of energy. “That’s vintage Chanel. It’s so hard to find! Where do you shop?”

She set herself up, didn’t she? “Umm. Well. Seulgi unnie recommended a few vintage shops in Hongdae so I checked them out. I was so lucky to find it, honestly. She couldn’t believe it herself.”

Sooyoung could excuse herself, really, but she doesn’t want to deflate this poor girl.

“You’re close!? I mean. Of course. You’re close… you work together and you said she let you put this drink on your tab. And you hosted the opening event! Ha ha. How could I forget…” 

Poor kid. How Sooyoung has the heart to lie to her, she doesn’t know. She prays for her mother’s God to forgive her.

“It’s alright,” Joy says simply and finally excuses herself. “It was nice chatting with you!”

As she walks away, she hears the kid cursing herself. Probably because she forgot to ask for a photo or autograph. It’s not like she’s a celebrity or anything.

Joy checks her schedule for the next two weeks so she can schedule her tasks accordingly. She has an interview and photoshoot for Ize Magazine in one week and she clicks on it to check the details.

There’s a small blurb on what the interview will be about. The company has graciously provided them with a portfolio of Sooyoung’s best works and the magazine mentions they’ll provide hair and makeup artists plus a stylist for the photoshoot.

One thing she really appreciates about the company is their dedication to help their employees with their career development.

They do regular lectures on personal branding, creating and updating your portfolio, and even provide an annual grooming allowance so they can improve their look or upgrade their wardrobe.

In their field, how you present yourself is just as important as the quality of your work. She’s moving up as an influencer now, not just as a creative professional.

Their company has even built a small team dedicated to managing the employees’ influencer work and it was unreal for Sooyoung to have a project manager assigned to her at first.

She’s deep into her work when Seulgi takes the seat next to her.

Sooyoung holds up one finger and the older girl immediately knows she has to leave her alone until she’s done.

17 minutes and she finishes the subtask she was working on. She looks up to Seulgi, who’s poking around a rolled up piece of tissue a few tables away, and gives her the “come here” motion with her index finger.

Funny how she instantly lights up, courteously remembering to dispose of the ball of tissue she was playing with on her way back to the table.

“How’s your experience working here?” Seulgi asks, looking at her with puppy eyes.

Sooyoung speaks quietly. “Your barista is a fan of mine, apparently.”

“Oh,” the older girl laughs. “Hayeon? Yeah. Her main reason for applying here is because she loves our work. I do see where she could fit if she wants to work with us in the future.”

“Why as a barista here, then?”

“She’s trying to fast-track her degree so she can intern sooner so her schedule is a bit tight,” Seulgi explains. “She’s only here 25 hours a week. Never late, though.”

Sooyoung is impressed. “Now that’s the kind of person that would be a pleasure to work with.”

“Some say she’s very chatty but I think she’s… passionate. Enthusiastic.”

The younger girl prolongs a “right”. “She recognized this top, by the way. Even knows that it’s vintage Chanel.”

Seulgi raises her brows. “Impressive. But also alarming? Did she suspect we’re sharing clothes?”

“I made up something about you referring some vintage shops to me and we were both so stoked to find it. She didn’t even think it was weird that you are happy someone has the exact same shirt as you,” Sooyoung shares, holding back a laugh.

“Well, the Seulgi in your lie is very much in character. We can start buying matching outfits,” she jokes.

“Our styles overlap but the vibe is so different,” Sooyoung points out. “And I wear more dresses and skirts than you do.”

“Didn’t you call me your style inspiration in your first year here?”

Joy confirms. "But you like my style now, right?"

"I'm happy you found it," the older girl answers. "You've been a lot more confident since and it's your best accessory."

"See, you've liked me longer than you think," Sooyoung says cheekily.

"Perhaps," Seulgi sing-songs. "You're free to raid my closet any time, by the way. I own a lot of basic pieces you can mix and match."

"What's this? Wearing more of my girlfriend's clothes. So domestic."

"If we ever have to be away from each other long, you can feel like you're with me," the older girl tells her, tickling the underside of Joy's chin.

"And I'm being a little self-indulgent," Seulgi adds shyly. "Seeing you in my clothes makes me feel so…"

"Powerful?" Sooyoung tries. "Like if anyone notices…"

"Mhmm… Like…” Seulgi leaned forward, propping her chin on her palm. "They'll be looking at you because you look so good but you're all mine."

Joy wants to kiss her so bad. Why is this so attractive to her? "I didn't put you down as the possessive type, love."

The older girl chuckles, still speaking quietly. "Babe, you know I don't want you to fully dedicate yourself to me like that. You're still your own person and so am I. It just feels good to show off a little?"

Sooyoung blushes. They're all for keeping it lowkey and private but she loves the idea. “It is my absolute pleasure to be yours."

When she sees there's no one looking their way, Seulgi gives her a kiss on the cheek. “Let’s go have lunch?”


	22. Day 1.1

It's Friday night before they even know it.

To say it’s been an eventful week would be an understatement. Just last week, Sooyoung was losing her mind over how much she aches to have Seulgi within sight and now they’ve turned her wildest dreams, quite literally, into reality.

She got a promotion, ironed out things with her ex, and now has an odd but beautiful circle of close friends.

The last project she decided to helm before stepping into her new position is also proving to be a bigger success than she had hoped.

The client expected her to connect with five stylists who can make an artist they’re working with wear their accessories with at least two outfits.

Sooyoung struck the jackpot and got a deal with a visual director who was hired to style a rising girl group for their upcoming comeback.

The visual director and the artists’ agency they were working with were so pleased by how well the items matched the concept that they asked the brand if they can work with them for the whole promotion period.

It’s a huge deal and a possible big break for such a young brand that the CEO even wondered if they’re good enough to do it. Sooyoung had to convince them to take the offer and was grateful when they did.

With the project becoming bigger than initially expected, it would mean more work but it means she’s more likely to get that 10% commission for hitting 150% of the goal.

It's going to hit her bank account just in time for the wardrobe upgrade she's been aiming for.

For now, she’s happy to be home with her wonderful girlfriend who had promised her a nice leg massage.

“Hello,” Joy greets with a dramatically sexy pose. She steps into the bedroom, fresh from a long, relaxing warm bath, and pulls back a part of her bathrobe to show off one leg. “Like what you see?”

Her girlfriend looks up from the bed, propped up on one elbow. Seulgi only chuckles at her theatrics and places a hand over her heart. “Aren’t you supposed to have a long-stem rose between your teeth?”

"Get me roses, then. What kind of girlfriend are you?" Sooyoung huffs.

"Let's get a white picket fence house," Seulgi says, smiling. "I'll plant rose bushes out front for you."

Sooyoung doesn’t expect the warmth that hits her, the idea of settling down in a home with Seulgi doing so much for her heart. She couldn’t possibly smile even bigger.

Yet she quickly resumes her cold act. “Do you even have any gardening skills?”

Seulgi sees past her because of course she does. Her ego is inflating with the way Sooyoung is obviously loving it. “Oh, love. You’re looking at a farm girl. I could plant a whole field for you if you want.”

Sooyoung acts disinterested and waves her off. “I’ll go get dressed. My girlfriend of a few long days no longer falls for my charms.”

"Baby, I asked you a question," Seulgi calls out, reaching one arm out to her dramatically.

There is no point trying to resist Kang Seulgi. Joy stops at the door and winks. "Anywhere with you, love."

You see, Seulgi meant it when she said Park Sooyoung does not half-ass anything.

She returns to the room just before Seulgi goes out to check on her and the reaction is worth it.

"God…" Seulgi sighs, admiring the woman as she walks through the door.

"That's me," Sooyoung replies cheekily. "How about this?”

“I love it,” Seulgi finally replies after returning to her senses. She gets up on her knees on the bed, absolutely captivated, and her girlfriend has to close her mouth for her.

“Baby, you’re gawking,” she giggles, giving her a quick kiss.

Of course Seulgi would be. Joy is wearing a tiny satin silk night dress, the thin fabric hugging her figure perfectly.

Her college friends bought it for her on her first birthday after graduation as a joke, saying it might help her get back in the market.

Now that she’s off the market again, hopefully for good this time, she has great use for it.

“I love it. I love you,” Seulgi says again, changing how she’s seated on the bed before pulling Joy in for a kiss. “But I feel ridiculously underdressed.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Joy answers, smiling like crazy into each kiss. “Oversized t-shirt and check pajamas? Still the sexiest woman in the world next to me.”

She’s sitting on her girlfriend’s lap now, the hem of her dress riding up her thighs. Everything is going as planned. Seulgi is taking the opportunity presented to her and makes use of her hands.

Before she can go any further, Joy grabs her wrist and looks very pleased when Seulgi whimpers.

"Give me my massage first," she tells her, holding a finger up to Seulgi's pouting lips.

The older girl resigns. "Okay."

“That’s my girl,” Sooyoung coos, giving her a quick peck on the lips before getting off of her lap and moving to her side of the bed.

She would look so polite and innocent if not for her disheveled hair and what she’s wearing.

Seulgi scrunches her face at her and begrudgingly starts the massage, Joy’s feet resting on a pillow on her lap.

“Soft, medium, or hard, ma’am?" she asks, smiling to herself. Sooyoung lets her think she’s funny.

“Hard, please,” she answers so politely, the innocent facade breaking when Seulgi finds the knots in her calves. “Ah. That’s the spot.”

“Who told you to wear heels today, anyway?” Seulgi asks.

Sooyoung lightly kicks her but she acts unfazed, keeps trying to press her buttons.

“You knew you had to walk from building to building today. You should have dressed accordingly.” She’s trying to sound strict and serious but her expression betrays her. It’s hard not to smile at the cute way her girlfriend is sulking.

“You know I like buying my sneakers a bit bigger, right?” she continues. “You can borrow them if you like.”

Sooyoung is still pouting with her arms crossed when Seulgi turns to look at her, but she’s ready to break into a smile.

Seulgi continues to massage her legs dutifully, making her way up to her upper legs now.

It goes well until the girl suddenly retreats one leg and she turns to see what’s up.

Sooyoung tries not to laugh maniacally when she sees her girlfriend’s reaction to her one last surprise for the night. That mischievous grin, her hungry gaze, Seulgi loves and hates that look at the same time.

“Ah, seriously,” the older girl groans, her face redder than Joy’s favorite lipstick. If anyone touched her face right now, it would feel like she’s burning. “You’re crazy.”

Joy simply tilts her head and adjusts her legs to give Seulgi a better view of what's under the dress, which is nothing at all.

“You really are a tease, aren’t you?” Seulgi whines, looking away. Sooyoung finally bursts into laughter.

“I really underestimated you,” the older girl mumbles, wiping the tears that formed in her eyes from getting a little overwhelmed. She’s laughing at herself as well. “You’re driving me crazy.”

"That's the plan," Sooyoung replies, looking very pleased when her girlfriend starts crawling towards her. She kisses her as soon as she’s close enough.

Seulgi greets her with a sexy little “hi”.

"You are… really good at crawling," Joy chuckles.

The older girl simply hushes her with her lips.

-

In the short time they have been together, Seulgi has proved herself to be super committed.

Most noticeably, she now tells Sooyoung where she goes and sometimes even who she’s with.

“I don’t want you to feel like you have to,” the younger girl tells her, visibly concerned. “We’re still our own people and I’m in no way restricting you. You don’t have to change just because we got together. I fell for just the way you have always been.”

“I just don’t want you to worry,” Seulgi replies, kissing her hand. “I want to be very honest with you moving forward and I want to be able to mean it when I say I have nothing to hide.”

Sooyoung squints. “Okay, then. Are any of the girls you were with still in the industry?”

The older girl raises her brows. She clearly didn’t expect this line of questioning on a Sunday morning. “The career of an average rookie model in South Korea only lasts three years although many quit after the first. Only 40% make it to five and an even smaller portion goes on to ten or a lifetime.”

“Wow. Jang Yoonju is a real legend, then,” Sooyoung says, then slaps herself lightly for getting distracted. “That doesn’t answer my question. You are very attractive and based on me and Joohyun unnie alone, you don’t go for the average girl.”

“Should I be flattered?”

Sooyoung squints at her. “Maybe. It would bruise my ego to think you’d go for an average model, no matter how high the baseline is. And that’s not counting the designers.”

Seulgi stops to think. Sooyoung was on a rampage. 

“I said there were four, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Two of them are now flight attendants,” Seulgi answered, “which made my last flight to Japan very awkward. One of them only modeled to get through college, she teaches English to kids now. The last one moved back to California.”

“There was a foreigner?” Sooyoung asked.

The older girl blinked fast. “She’s half-white. Her dad is… I don’t know. Something European. Swiss? Austrian?”

“You know a lot about them for one-night stands.”

“They still come up on my Instagram Explore sometimes,” Seulgi explains. “Too scared to block people. I don’t want them to misunderstand.”

Sooyoung could buy that. “The designers?”

Scratching her nape, Seulgi pauses to think again. “My memory is really bad. I’m really trying right now.”

“I know that.”

Seulgi runs both hands through her hair. Sooyoung is almost sorry but she’s not. Deep inside, she’s moved by her honesty, sincerity, and cuteness.

“There were three,” Seulgi recalls. “The first one is now based in Milan. Quite successful, she has a few other brands now.”

“Have we worked with any of them?”

Seulgi nods. “They have a small office managing their affairs here so I never had to deal with her directly since she moved. We parted on good terms, actually. She even recommended me to her friends.”

Of course. “The two others?”

“Both now married to some hotshot businessmen,” she responds, shuddering. “I didn’t know number two was just… exploring. I only got to meet her three times.”

“And the third was the crazy one?” Sooyoung asks.

“Yeah,” Seulgi laughs awkwardly. “The crazy one. You have nothing to worry about. They wouldn’t even think of working with us.”

“Pretty sure they wouldn’t want to cost their husbands a scandal,” Sooyoung agrees. “When was the last one?”

“2016,” Seulgi answers at lightning speed.

Joy nods. “Alright. As long as you’re not forgetting anyone.”

“I hope?”

Sooyoung pinches her cheek but she's smiling now. “You better be sure."

“I wanted to know when you’re free this week,” Seulgi tells her when the tension in the air dissipates, squeezing her hands. “We haven’t really had our first real date as a couple.”

"Wait."

Seulgi blushes. "I'm kind of embarrassed because you deserve better. Having meals together at work or because we live together is not the same as going out on a date."

“You’re free today, right?” Sooyoung asks, still surprised they haven’t had a real date. It's only Sunday morning, the sixth day if you include Tuesday evening, but she's embarrassed it slipped her mind. Spent this morning grilling her girlfriend about a time long past instead. Now she’s sorry.

She nods. "I'm not sure if you have anything planned today. I know you're busy preparing for the turnover and whatever projects you have left so…"

"I'm not busy today," Joy replies immediately. She's buzzing with excitement. "My Sundays are usually work-free so I can gear up for the rest of the week."

“Ah,” Seulgi says, lighting up immediately. “Wait here.”

"Wait?"

It’s not like she was doing a good job of hiding it behind her, but Sooyoung was moved to tears when Seulgi returned with a bouquet of flowers.

“When did you get this?” she asks, hugging her girlfriend immediately.

“I wanted to ask you out on a date today so I woke up early to get these,” Seulgi replies shyly. “I hid them in the kitchen since you never leave the room before noon on Sundays.”

Sooyoung laughs, more at herself than anything. “I love it. I love you. Thank you. It’s a yes.”

“Oh great. Now I have to come up with something,” Seulgi deadpans, both of them laughing after.

“Why do I love you again? You can get so corny,” the younger girl says, kissing her nose. “So, what’s the plan?”

Seulgi tells her to dress casually and to wear sneakers. They’ll ditch the car for public transportation today and will be walking around a lot.

Sooyoung loves it, not having to be so dressed up. Seulgi is in a cropped sweater and high-waist straight leg jeans with some white Converse and Sooyoung’s wearing her favorite Nike AirMax with loose jeans and a cardigan.

They look cute, separately and together, she thinks. For now, they leave behind their big positions at work and just spend their time as ordinary Kang Seulgi and Park Sooyoung. A new couple on their first real date.

With only one seat left on the train car they got on, Seulgi gives it up for Sooyoung and holds on to a pole next to her.

“I feel like I haven’t taken the subway in forever,” the older girl says, laughing. She keeps her voice to a minimum, mindful of other passengers. “Driving can be so tiring. And the cost of gas, too.”

“We can still go back to our usual commute, you know. Let’s try it on days you don’t have to work out of office,” Sooyoung suggests.

“Better for the environment too,” Seulgi adds, immediately sitting when the woman next to Sooyoung gets up as they approach the next stop. “Remind me to get a water purifier for my studio.”

“I’ll remind you to unplug the appliances at home when they’re not in use too.”

“I’m sorry,” she pouts. “You know me.”

“Do I need to stick reminders around the apartment?”

Seulgi shakes her head. “I’ll do better, I promise.”

“I want to do something with my hair,” Sooyoung thinks out loud. “I like the way yours look when you’re fresh out of the shower.”

“All puffy?” the older girl asks, laughing.

“It has volume and good texture. It should be manageable with the right styling. You shouldn’t straighten it too much.”

“That’s why I’m in a ponytail right now,” the older girl says, smiling.

Sooyoung smiles back, telling her she always looks great.

The two arrive at the pizza shop not too long later. It’s already 2PM so there’s not many people but it also means they’re starving.

“Don’t they have a branch closer to our apartment?” Sooyoung asks when the waiter finishes taking their order.

“Yes, but I like the vibe of the place here. I brought this,” Seulgi replies, bringing out her point-and-shoot film camera from her tote bag. “We can take really cool pictures with that 90s, early 2000s vibe.”

Sooyoung lights up in excitement. “You talk about that time like you remember everything.”

“I was born in 1994, just two and a half years ahead of you but I got to experience a lot of it. Do you want to see my baby pictures?”

“Pictures of baby Seulgi? Where?”

Seulgi grins. “My mom had them scanned digitally when she found out you can do that. Some required a bit of restoration work since a roof leak damaged two of our older photo albums. She was so relieved.”

She pulls out her phone and opens a folder appropriately named “940210”, giving it to Sooyoung to freely scroll through. She can’t contain her reactions to the adorable fluffy baby on the screen.

“I could eat your cheeks,” Sooyoung squeals. “How are your baby photos so good? I don’t have a lot of good ones. I swear my parents wanted to embarrass me on purpose.”

“My mom wanted to be a professional photographer,” Seulgi explains, smiling fondly. “It wasn’t easy. She got to work in a marketing company for a few years but then she felt like she had to focus on raising me and my brother so she quit.”

“Is that why she turned to taking beautiful photos of you and your family instead?”

The older girl shrugs. “Something like that. She still does it as a hobby. I still believe her photos are better than mine.”

“What does she do now?” Sooyoung asks. Her own mom never felt like she had to choose between being a nurse and caring for her own children. Since her dad owned a business that did well enough to hire a few employees, he got to take care of them whenever she was at work.

“She became an insurance agent once I was old enough to be left at daycare,” Seulgi shares. “Maybe it’s the marketing background but she’s super good at it. She's won so many awards. Best across the nation at one point.”

Joy could see how proud she is of her mom. She looks at the last photo on the folder, one of baby Seulgi and her mother, and smiles as she returns the phone to her. “Talent runs in the family, then. She must be so happy you get to do a combination of what she used to do.”

“Maybe she could do a few projects for us,” Sooyoung suggests. Seulgi has to look at her closely to make sure she’s not joking. Suddenly, she finds her own eureka moment.

“I could give her an exhibit at the gallery. Oh my god.”

“Aren’t you non-religious…”

“I could make it a thing!” Seulgi exclaims, a little too excitedly. “She could have an area in our upcoming monthly exhibition and if she feels confident enough maybe a small one of her own? Or we could find more women in their 40s and 50s who had the same dream…"

“I can’t believe you’re still thinking about work while we’re on our first real date,” Sooyoung jokes, but she’s on the verge of tears with how touching this all is. She surrenders her throne as the world’s most filial daughter to Seulgi.

“This is my passion project,” the older girl says defensively, but without an edge to her voice. “I need to write this down and prepare a project proposal.”

“You need to submit a proposal?”

Seulgi nods, writing on her trusted notebook now. “We like to keep things documented.”

Sooyoung just nods. She would do the same. “Our order is here so hurry up if you don’t want me to eat everything.”

The older girl chuckles. “I’ll just finish this and I’ll turn all my attention back to you, love.”

“Okay,” Sooyoung says, taking a slice of pizza for herself. She smiles, thinking about how lucky she is to call such an amazing woman hers.

Seulgi does just as promised, not even checking her phone for the rest of the date except to look up directions. They alternate between holding hands and looping arms as they explore and take pictures of and with each other.

Sooyoung's favorite form of PDA, as it turns out, is affectionate invasions of space. Leaning into Seulgi when they're idly sitting or standing, putting her face a little close to hers, or placing a hand on her thigh or lower back to call her attention.

"Should I submit the proposal first or talk to my mom first?" Seulgi asks as they commute to a café that sells her favorite soufflé pancakes. "I'm sorry to talk about this again. I'm just—"

"—excited, I know. This clearly means a lot to you and I'll be happy to help in any way I can," Sooyoung reassures her.

"You might be busy…"

"Once I step into my new role, I'll have more time to provide insight on different projects, right? I know the gallery, the creative complex in general, is another business but it's still under the company."

Seulgi nods, smiling. "You helped me come up with it so… and it's a very personal project. I'm really happy we can work on it together."

"And I can meet your mom," Sooyoung adds. "Do you think she'll like me?"

"Do you think I'll talk to your mom asking for her blessing and not ask my own mom?" she asks, laughing.

The younger girl laughs at herself, embarrassed. They step off the train car together and make their way to the station exit. "What did she say, then?"

Seulgi smiles smugly. "That I have good taste."

Sooyoung pinches her cheek. "She probably only knows about me and Joohyun unnie."

"That's true," the other girl replies. "So she was scared when I told her I've fallen in love with my gorgeous roommate and coworker."

"Didn't want her princess to get hurt?" Sooyoung teases.

"She was scared," Seulgi confirms. "But I talked to her more and she realized that both of us put so much consideration into this because we didn't want to hurt or burden each other."

"We're both human and we're bound to disappoint each other," Sooyoung tells her. "And I might hurt you, but never on purpose. And if I do hurt you, I'll make up for it and do better."

"I'll do the same for you," Seulgi says, matching her sincerity. "We still have a lot to figure out but every day I'll actively choose to love you and be good to you."

"You really need to get me a ring now," the younger girl says and they both end up blushing. "This is a team effort so I'm with you in all this, okay?"

"Of course," she affirms, looking left and right as they turn towards an empty alley.

"Is this the right way?"

Seulgi giggles and looks around one more time. She presses a finger against Joy's lips and steps forward until the taller girl's back is against the wall. "I know we would have had more privacy if we just took the car but…"

When Seulgi closes the distance between them, Sooyoung's heart flutters as if it's her first kiss ever.


	23. Happier

“Do you know why you were called into the office today, Ms. Park?” the HR manager asks, their hands covering the name of a folder on their desk.

“Am I in trouble?” she jokes, knowing very well why she’s here. “You found out, didn’t you?”

The HR manager just laughs. “And a great Monday to you, Ms. Park. We’re happy to let you know we’ve finalized your new contract as Creative Lead. We’ll give you time to go over the details later, but I’ll give you an overview now.”

“If you’re good with the terms,” they continue, “then you can sign it and we can forward it to Mr. Song for his signature to make things official. If not, we can list your concerns and arrange a time to discuss any changes you may want to negotiate.”

Sooyoung smiles at the manager and tells them she understood.

“Wonderful. As you may know,” the HR manager begins, “you’re set to start as Creative Lead exactly one week from now. This means this week will be a busy one for proper turnover of tasks and clients under your portfolio. We understand you have a few ongoing projects you want to be hands-on with, and upon review Mr. Song agreed that the ones you wish to continue working on will not affect your availability to perform your day-to-day responsibilities as Creative Lead.”

“I’m very happy to hear that,” Sooyoung replies. She wanted to see the accessories brand campaign to the end and Seulgi’s proposed exhibition for female artists in their 40s and older was in the planning stage.

“We also received your work transition plan and we’re very impressed. HR is currently facilitating the application process for the accounts you want to turn over. We’re using your documentation of the clients’ working styles, temperaments, tastes, and any ongoing tasks or projects to determine the proper fit.”

“How are the applications going?” she asks. She also wrote down project managers and other team members who have worked on projects with those clients. How well the team gets along with each other is important to the success of a project and client retention.

They smile and tell her it’s been going well. “The people you think would be a great match all applied for the clients you think they will do great with. You really know your team well, huh.”

Sooyoung smiles. “It’s hard not to know them that well after working with them so much. Some of them were in other teams before they became project managers.”

“Did you have any worries?” they ask.

She nods. “Those are high-earning clients. It’s easy for them to just chase after who they think will help them receive the biggest commissions. I’m glad they didn’t.”

“You wouldn’t have to miss the commissions,” they replied, hinting at her higher base salary. “Here’s the new contract for your review.”

Joy trembled a bit as she received the folder with both hands. This was a new chapter in her life, one she didn’t expect would come to her so fast, but right now it’s a few signatures away.

“I forgot to mention,” the HR manager says before she opens the folder. She stops to look at them, she’s not ready to look at the document just yet. “The lecture series you want to do for skills enrichment starts next week. Every Tuesday from 11AM to 2PM. The budget for food and drinks, and any materials you may need, is already approved.”

Sooyoung smiles and thanks them. She listed out things she thinks the team should learn if they want to keep their clients. With only one lecture a week, it would give her enough time to prepare lecture slides and learning materials. She wanted to teach them basic project management, client rapport and communication, de-escalation for unhappy clients, negotiation for new ones, and how to build their personal networks.

“You can start looking at the new contract,” they tell her.

She flips the page open and under her new title and starting date is her new salary. Seulgi didn’t lie about her getting a “nice raise”. It matched the monthly average of what she earned in the past year if you would combine her base salary and the commissions, rounded up a bit.

Her basic responsibilities were as Seulgi mentioned the previous time: she will oversee the general creative direction of their internal projects and their work with their clients. She no longer needs to worry about making sure projects follow the schedule or the tasks needed to achieve their goals but to ensure they’re coming up with their best creative work possible. If the quality is good, results will follow.

Perhaps one thing that surprised her is a clause helping her determine a starting professional fee. She knows this is something Seulgi receives when she is hired to work on a project or commissioned by other agencies. It wasn’t something she expected for herself.

“So, if I am leading a project’s creative direction, I will receive this fee?” she asks to clarify.

The HR manager nods. “Overseeing everything, giving your opinions on all projects, is as much work as solely managing your portfolio. It’s beyond your basic responsibilities so if a client wants you to focus on their project, you will receive this fee. You can also be hired or commissioned by other agencies or brands with their internal marketing.”

“Those will have separate contracts, right?” Will she be able to manage it? There are slow seasons at the agency, after all.

“Yes, that’s right,” they reply. “You will be aware of the scope, duration, and requirements of the project; and we guarantee you will receive what is due to you.”

“It mentions the company will receive a portion if it’s from an external client,” Sooyoung points out. “Not that I have anything against that. I think it’s justified.” Even after the cut, it’s still a hefty sum.

They nod, explaining it’s a sort of management fee. “Is there anything else?”

“Mino mentioned something about constructing a personal office for me.”

“That’s scheduled to start in two weeks,” they explain. “You might continue to work from your desk for another month.”

“it’s no issue,” she tells them. “I was wondering if I would have any say in the design.”

The HR manager laughs and nods. “That’s beyond our scope but we can arrange a meeting with the Facilities Manager. I think they can help you get in touch with an interior designer or an architect.”

Sooyoung laughs to herself and blushes, embarrassed by her next question. “Is that something that would have to come from my own expenses?”

They give her an amused look. “There’s a set budget for the construction and basic furnishings but anything in excess, yes. It’s your personal space after all.”

“Oh. That will be alright,” Sooyoung muses. “I figured.”

“Your position is good for three years,” they tell her. “There’s an annual evaluation but you know how fast things can move here. If you plan to stay until your fifth year here, then it’s a worthy investment.”

She nods and smiles to herself. “I think I’ll still be here. This is a really good company and I love my work.”

“We don’t know what we’ll do if you ever break up with Director Kang,” the HR manager says, laughing with worried eyes. “What if one of you ends up leaving after? What if that person takes the clients with them?”

“You’d be screwed. I’m her first serious girlfriend,” Sooyoung jokes, although she lets out a heavy sigh after. She might not see it happening now, they’ve only been together for less than a week, but life can be unpredictable.

“We’ll pay for couples therapy so you can work it out and stay,” they joke back. “I’m really happy for you both, though. I would wish you the best, but I really think you two are going to last a lifetime.”

Sooyoung simply smiles and thanks them. Is it too early to say anything? “I’m good with the terms on the current version of the contract. I think I’m ready to sign.”

“Well, then,” the HR manager smiles. “The areas you need to sign are already marked. If you have a monogram stamp, you can use that as well.”

They chuckle as Sooyoung cracks her knuckles and shakes her hands out before she signs. After looking at her signatures and reading the contract one last time, she closes the folder and returns it.

Her fate is sealed.

“Congratulations, Ms. Park.”

The first person Sooyoung calls is her mother because of course. It’s what she always does.

“Don’t tell your sisters how much you’re earning now,” her mother tells her. “I don’t want to raise their allowance. They need to learn how to be responsible with money like you did.”

“I won’t,” Sooyoung promises. “I’m not getting them any gifts unless they ask me personally either. It’s been ages since they called me directly instead of asking for things through you.”

Her mother laughs. “It’s a little extra effort on my end if you send their allowances through me, though. Is it possible for you to start transferring it to their accounts directly?”

“Hmm. I can have the transfers scheduled monthly,” Sooyoung suggests. “I was thinking weekly, so they won’t spend everything before the first week even ends.”

Her mother takes time to think. “It needs to be clear you’re not sending them money again if they run out before the next scheduled transfer.”

“They can figure out where else to get money,” she says. “I had to.”

“The youngest is trying to become a YouTuber,” her mother sighs. “I’m not sure how well that is working out for her.”

Sooyoung raises her brows. “She could have told me. There are a lot of ways I can help her get out there.”

“You know your sisters are stubborn. They don’t even tell their friends you’re their sister now that you’re known for your work and your celebrity friends. I don’t know if it’s because they don’t want to be compared or they want to prove they can make it on their own too.”

Joy sighs. She understands why they might feel that way. “You always taught us to focus on our personal strengths and work with them to our advantage.”

“You’re all precious and talented in your own ways,” her mom agrees.

“And I don’t want to compromise their privacy either,” she adds. “They can choose whether or not to talk about me being their sister. I just… wish they called me.”

She can hear her mother sigh. “Look at you, 25 and talking about your sisters like you’re their mother. I never intended for you to be the third parent, you know.”

“I know,” she replies. “I just thought as the eldest I had to protect them and provide for them. I do earn too much for me to keep for myself.”

“And I’m grateful for your hard work and help,” her mom replies. “As long as you take care of yourself. Don’t hesitate to spend your money for yourself. You earned it.”

“Thank you, mom. I love you.”

The smile comes through her mom’s voice. “I love you too. I’ll go now. I’ll tell your sisters to call you.”

Sooyoung laughs awkwardly and tells her she doesn’t have to. Even if they’re studying in Seoul, it’s rare for them to meet because of their busy schedules. They probably don’t even know her current address even if it’s been a long time since she moved.

In fact, she’s not even sure if the two have met each other in a while or if they talk regularly. The freshman is living in the university dorm while the junior moved into a share house with her friends. She knows this because she sent a housewarming gift when the new semester started. Seulgi sent one too. Back then, they were just friends.

("Is she…" her sister asked when she called to thank them. "I thought you were still not over Seungwan unnie. That's not fair to her."

"Seulgi unnie is a friend," Sooyoung replied then. "She learned I was picking out a housewarming gift so she went with me and got something for you as well."

Her sister laughs. "I already like her more."

"I thought you didn't approve of Seungwan because…" she's a girl, she doesn't say.

"I didn't like who you became towards the end of your relationship," she replies. Her serious tone surprises Sooyoung. "Which happened to be around the time I found out."

Sooyoung smiles to herself. "I know I don't usually talk to you about my feelings because I feel like I have to be strong but... I'm very relieved to hear that."

The younger girl sighs. "I really appreciate you and care about you, unnie."

"You never say things like that."

Her sister laughs. "I have a feeling about Seulgi unnie. And you seem happier."

Funny how she turned out to be right.)

She settles back into her desk and answers the new emails that came up in her inbox. There are more questions about turnovers, updates on her ongoing projects, and important documents from Human Resources.

Her teammates are trying not to talk to her about their applications but HR provided her access to the evaluation documents. She reads through their applications and adds her own comments.

“You’ve signed the new contract?” Ten asks, swooping by her desk with their usual iced coffees. He looks more excited about it than she is.

“Yep,” Sooyoung smiles at him and thanks him for the coffee. “You know I’m planning to treat the office when I start my new position, right?”

Ten nods. “The team has grown quite a lot. What are you planning?”

“That’s why I’m asking you.”

“You can buy us grilled meat. You don’t have to take us out to eat but just order those sets that come with stew and fried rice,” he suggests. “They’re not that expensive if you do the pork belly ones.”

Sooyoung nods. It sounds reasonable. “I’ll have to ask HR for the final head count. Soda or beer?”

“You’re buying the office beer on a Monday?” he laughs. “If you insist, keep it to one per person.”

She sighs. “That’s not easy to manage. Sodas, then. I’ll place the order once I know how many people we’ll have in the office that day.”

“Buying people real meals is always good,” Ten says. “We can only have so much pizza.”

Sooyoung hits him lightly. “Last week’s pizza was Seulgi unnie’s idea.”

“I’m just kidding! At least you ordered normal pizza and not one of those weird flavors you have here in Korea,” he says defensively. “Where is she, by the way?”

“Working out of office,” Sooyoung answers. “It’s a location shoot somewhere in Gyeonggi. It’s for an idol group so the location is confidential."

“It’s not like I’m going out of office to stalk them right now, whoever that is,” Ten responds, laughing.

“It’s not like you care about them or Seulgi like that either,” she shoots back. “Where are we having lunch?”

“Uh oh. I already ate, that’s why I already have our coffees. You were in the HR office for a while.”

Sooyoung clicks her tongue. “Didn’t even notice. Is that why I’m starving?”

“Probably!” he answers. “Go get something to eat once you’re done with those emails.”

“I will,” she says. “Need to take a walk too.”

Ten excuses himself to head back to his desk, something about a new poster Wendy’s agency wanted.

Huh. She hasn’t checked how her teasers are doing. Curious, she opens the analytics and sees they’re doing well. When she heads over to music store sites, her album is within the top three too.

The social listening app they’re using gives her a few laughs. The consensus is people love Wendy and are excited for her album. Even if she’s not an idol, there are still people who are curious about her personal life.

It’s not like there’s any dirt to find on her. She rarely uses social media to post about her personal life, only sharing about her music and inconsequential peeks into what she does on a normal day to give people a peek at her personality.

There are shippers. There always are. Mixing and matching people in their friend group and some male artists who expressed interest in collaborating with her.

Anyone who knew about Sooyoung and Seungwan when they were together have been courteous about it. They reached out to her first, asking if she'd be okay seeing her around so much, and promised to protect her privacy. No one would wish crazy fans and unforgiving journalists upon anyone.

She was having fun looking through mentions of her on the internet but her stomach had other plans.

Sooyoung sighed and logged her lunch break, checking her phone as she took the elevator.

With the rollercoaster her life had been in the past week, she only got to update Instagram again after her date with Seulgi.

She looks at the pictures and smiles. They're cute and their friends are not doing great at being discreet in the comments but it's all good. It's not like she's going to make her feed all about their relationship.

She posts a Story about an exciting development in the project she's working on and Seulgi replies with a reminder to take her lunch.

"I was just going out to find something to eat," Sooyoung tells her when she calls. She teases her for replying on social media instead of texting her directly.

"We just wrapped up at the first location. I'm eating right now," her girlfriend shares, whispering. "I love working for big companies. The food is always good."

Joy laughs. "That's all you think about, huh. What time are you coming home tonight?"

"Miss me already?"

"You don't?"

Seulgi giggles. "I miss you. A lot."

"I signed the new contract already," Joy shares. "The raise really is pretty nice."

"Congratulations," Seulgi replies. "I told you! You deserve it. You won't have to overwork yourself to make sure you can provide for your family."

Sooyoung smiles fondly. "I'm pretty sure there will still be sleepless nights but this will definitely help my peace of mind."

"Oh, definitely," the older girl laughs.

"Anyway… I asked when you'll be home because I wanted to have a celebratory dinner with you."

"Is Ms. Park asking me out on a date?" the older girl asks, her enthusiasm apparent even if she's speaking quietly.

"Yes. But if you're busy…" she trails off, knowing how Seulgi would react. "I guess the other girls would be free…"

"Sooyoung," Seulgi whines. "I wouldn't miss it for the world. Where are we going? I can be there by 8."

"Perfect. I'll send you the details for our reservation when it's confirmed."

"See you, love," the older girl says.

Sooyoung smiles to herself and sends a kiss through the phone. "See you, my love."


	24. For her

Joohyun nearly rendered Sooyoung deaf in the right ear, nagging her for having to ask what Seulgi’s favorite flowers are.

“They’re sunflowers,” the older girl answers, finally calming down from her sermon. “You were at her birthday party. I get them for her every time.”

“Thank you, unnie,” she says politely. She wanted to say that she thought they were sunflowers but she wasn’t sure so she asked, but she knew Joohyun would not believe her.

Joy knows the actress is highly protective of Seulgi.

Perhaps it was shocking to find Joohyun was harder on her as Seulgi's girlfriend than she was towards her as Joohyun's own friend, but she understands.

Joohyun has known Seulgi longer and thinks of her as her own little sister.

She doesn’t say it but the message is clear. Hurt Seulgi and she’ll be sure to get hurt too.

Despite her initial reaction, Joohyun sends her the number of her usual flower shop so she can order them ahead of time.

She will pick them up before heading to the Thai restaurant where she placed a reservation. She remembered Seulgi mentioned something about craving pad thai and curry so she figured she might as well get it from the best place in the city.

“Ten, is this place… authentic?” she asks, because the best person to ask about the authenticity of a cuisine is someone who actually grew up eating it.

Sooyoung is awkward as she asks, worried her friend would find the question ridiculous or offensive. It’s funny even to her because she hasn’t felt like this about planning anything. Even as a student or a probationary employee, she approached things with a calculated confidence.

Her relationship with Seulgi came naturally through small and sometimes subconscious efforts to make each other comfortable and happy.

Even if she can make her girl happy by simply being who she always has been, Joy believes she should be putting an effort to win Seulgi over and over. 

Anyone would be scared of losing someone they love so dearly, Sooyoung tells herself. 

This love did not come easy to them despite how easy it was to fall for each other. They both had to go through so much, in fact Seulgi probably hasn’t told her everything from her end of it, and wanted to be in the right emotional and mental state to pursue a healthy, happy relationship with each other.

There are still doubts and insecurities, ghosts of their past tugging on their sleeve at times, but Sooyoung is willing to set them all aside for the girl who is brighter than a whole field of sunflowers.

Seulgi is not perfect and neither is Sooyoung.

They have not had any major arguments and she hopes it stays that way but she’s seen what Seulgi is like when she’s mad or frustrated.

She is quiet, she laughs to herself, maybe shakes her head, then she disappears.

She closes off or goes somewhere else and no one hears from or about her for hours. Sometimes a week.

One time when Seulgi left the office in the middle of the day after only very subtly expressing her frustration over whatever it must have been. When everyone clocked in for the next day, everything including her phone was still on her desk.

No one asked her about it when she arrived past 4PM with only her wallet in her hand, walking past everyone blankly and without her usual bright greetings.

Sooyoung was near the end of her 3-month probation period and determined to prove she deserves to keep her position. She thought better than to cross lines or get on anyone's bad side.

Maybe that was when Sooyoung started really seeing her.

When she transformed right before her eyes from the cool senior who got everything right to the flawed, but still cool, human being Kang Seulgi.

Sooyoung was working overtime then, as she usually does. They worked quietly a few meters apart in the dim open office with only their screens illuminating their faces.

Joy felt like it would be a burden to the company if they kept the lights on past 6 for only her. Apparently Seulgi felt the same, smiling for the first time that day as the facilities manager told them not to stay too late.

She remembers catching Seulgi looking at her, back down at her computer as it shuts down, then up again towards Sooyoung with only the thin sliver of moonlight highlighting the curves and edges of her face.

“Sooyoung?” she asked, her voice a bit hoarse. Likely from not having spoken all day.

They were still walking on eggshells, unsure of honorifics or formalities.

“Ms. Park,” Seulgi tried again. Her chair squeaked from the way she turned it towards Sooyoung’s direction.

From the corner of her eyes, Sooyoung saw her cringe at herself. Joy tried not to smile at her senior's display of clumsiness. She tried not to think of her as cute.

“Yes, Ms. Kang?” she asked instead as she finished up a project timetable.

She was done for the day but her fingers continued to ghost mindlessly over her keyboard.

Sooyoung debated over shutting her computer down and calling it a day until Seulgi finally spoke again. She was hoping her senior would leave first.

“I’m sorry.”

She thought about her response for a while before saying to Seulgi she had nothing to apologize about.

Her senior chuckled, barely audible. “I don’t think I set a good example with the way I just up and left yesterday without a word. You told me the other day that you admire my work ethic and I don't think I deserve it. You deserve better role models."

"I don't…"

"Pardon?"

Sooyoung slowly let out a deep breath.

"I don't know what triggered it or why you chose to deal with it that way, but I guess we all reach our limits. I don't think you would have done what you did if it didn't merit it," Joy told her, unsure where these thoughts were coming from.

"You are way more level-headed than most people," Sooyoung continued. "Taking time off to calm down is better than blowing up and taking it out on other people."

She saw the older girl smile in the faint moonlight and heard her faint “thank you”.

“Are you finished with your work?” Seulgi asked, the screen of Sooyoung’s computer turned completely dark after.

“I guess that answers it,” the older girl added with a short awkward laugh.

Even in the darkness, Sooyoung sensed the way Seulgi relaxed when she asked first. “If you’re not in a rush to get home, I’m planning to eat out and have some grilled eel for dinner. Would you like to join me?”

She started slowly collecting her things as she waited for an answer but the awkwardness grew a bit suffocating for her. She started moving faster.

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to impose. Maybe you would need more time by yourself and that’s okay.” Sooyoung covered her mouth with her hand. Damn her and her loose lips.

“You are asking as a junior to her senior, right?” the older girl finally said. Sooyoung herself was not sure. “There’s not much to learn from me… but the way you believe in me makes me want to do better.”

Sooyoung was grateful the lights were off and neither of them could see the way she blushed then.

Maybe as early as then she should have known from the way her heart fluttered.

She convinced herself at the time it was only her loneliness and not because Seulgi is Seulgi.

So warm and kind and much deeper than she lets show.

“I don’t know but,” Seulgi continued. “Where is it? The restaurant?”

“Just a few blocks down, if you don’t mind walking,” she replied. "It's not quite a restaurant as much as it's an eatery. The place is close to the bar we usually go to for team dinners."

The size of the team then, if they tried really hard, could still fit around two long tables pushed together. Everyone sat elbow to elbow but she remembered how mindful Seulgi was of Sooyoung's personal space when they sat next to each other.

Sooyoung clutched the sling of the bag hanging from her shoulders, ready to bolt if it turned out she embarrassed herself for nothing.

The older girl quietly collected her things into the totebag that hung from her chair since the day before and stood up. “I hope you won’t mind if I say I want to come with you as a friend, Sooyoung.”

Sooyoung looked away to hide her reaction, as if the darkness would betray her.

“Call me Seulgi unnie. Again, I mean. You used to." Seulgi laughed awkwardly to herself. "If you're comfortable with it, of course."

Sooyoung doesn’t know where she’d be if she wasn’t bold enough to ask or if she hasn’t said yes that night.

The sun is still setting when she leaves the office, calling to confirm the flower shop’s address and if the flowers were ready for pickup. Joohyun had already called them first.

Sooyoung placed their orders in advance with the help of Ten’s knowledge about his home cuisine and Joohyun’s recollection of what Seulgi liked when they took a trip to Pattaya a few years back.

The restaurant is a far cry from a dinner at the cramped grilled eel place they visited on their first meal together.

It’s still more casual than fine dining but she got to ask for a nice booth towards the back that would give them a little bit of privacy.

When she arrives at the restaurant after picking up the bouquet, Seulgi’s car is already parked out front.

Joy was never the type to initiate grand gestures even if she’s big on touch as affection. Even so, she wouldn’t consider this grand.

“Hello, gorgeous,” Sooyoung greets as she hands the bouquet to her girl.

Seulgi likes being surprised, she just doesn’t say it, but it shows in the way she chose to sit where her back is turned away from the aisle.

“Did Joohyun unnie order these for you?” Seulgi jokes, immediately recognizing the name of the shop. The tears welling up in her eyes say otherwise and she accepts a hug from the taller girl. “Thank you. I love you.”

"I love you too." Sooyoung steals a kiss on her cheek and takes the seat across her and smiles.

“You look amazing,” her girlfriend tells her, looking amazing herself.

Sooyoung recognizes the suit jacket she keeps in her car for emergencies. She has no complaints. It's such a good one. Seulgi has amazing taste and it fits her perfectly. She's wearing it open over a casual button down neatly tucked into her trousers.

With the first two buttons undone, Seulgi shows just enough skin for Sooyoung's thoughts to wander a little.

This is the first time Seulgi is seeing Sooyoung's look today. She left for her shoot before Sooyoung could even register she's a human being who exists, only remembering how Seulgi’s perfume smelled as she hugged her and the soft press of her lips as she kissed her goodbye.

The older girl must have had to pry her arms off of her as she got out of bed that morning. She can have quite a grip at times.

(Not to be a brat, but Sooyoung hates how she kind of hates waking up alone in bed. 

Seulgi was waiting for the crew to finish setting up when she answered her grumpy girlfriend's call, giggling at how cute she sounds in the morning.)

Sooyoung managed to upgrade her work makeup to something more appropriate for date night.

She's wearing a patterned blouse and a long, high-waist skirt. It was flowy but still hugged her waist and hips just right. If she had to walk in front of her girlfriend, it would still be quite a show.

"Congratulations," Seulgi tells her, laughing as they clink their glasses of fresh fruit juice together.

She already knows the details so she skips the discussion about the contract and matches Sooyoung's enthusiasm for her upcoming new office as they begin eating.

"If you're not busy…"

"We need to start eliminating that phrase," Seulgi frowns. "Just ask and I'll be honest if I'm available or not. Not that I won't try to make time for you."

The younger girl laughs, nodding. "You're so whipped for me!"

"I guess I am," her girlfriend responds. She has her smug little face on again. "What were you going to ask?"

"This is why you should let me finish," Sooyoung teases. "Just need help with furniture shopping. I have ideas but you're the one with interior design experience here."

Seulgi is too humble. She tells her it isn't much even if she planned a fair share of the creative complex's spaces.

"Maybe you just don't want to pay a design professional," the older girl says, the beginnings of a laugh showing in her cheeks.

"Do you have any recommendations, then?"

"There's the architect for the creative complex," Seulgi suggests. "Although you might not want to kill your bank account for such a small space. I have a few interior designer friends."

"Will I get a discount?" Sooyoung jokes.

Her girlfriend just looks at her. She has a strict, self-imposed rule about paying your friends what they're worth unless they offer a discount first.

Sooyoung apologizes with a cute smile and asks to see their previous work.

"I thought about my idea to turn the spare room into an office," she tells Seulgi.

They never actually got to sit down and discuss it because of their busy schedules. When they did have time, they had other things in mind.

"We'll be moving into a new place in a few months," Sooyoung continued. "So it's better to invest in something more long-term instead."

The older girl looks a little emotional over her girlfriend saying those words.

It's a language of affection she doesn't know she had, casually talking about future and long-term plans, and it must have been overwhelming to have it spoken back to her.

Sooyoung doesn't say anything although the way her lips quirked up would be enough to tell Seulgi she knows.

She doesn't see herself leaving her job in the next ten years and it may be too soon but she does not see why she would want to leave Seulgi either.

"When do you want to start looking for a new apartment? We have about four months left in the lease," the older girl asks after quietly collecting herself.

"Landlords usually start looking for new tenants around three months before the current one is set to leave. Maybe next month so we're sure the place is vacant when we move in?"

"Packing is going to be hell," Seulgi groans.

"Don't be a cheapskate. We can hire a packing service," Sooyoung suggests.

"Why didn't we do that when you were moving, then?"

Sooyoung laughs. It was a lot of pain relief patches and packing tape. "I didn't have the kind of extra money I would have in a few months."

Seulgi expresses her concerns over packing sensitive and sentimental things.

There's her giant easel and art materials and her finished artworks. Then she'll have to pack her cameras, film rolls, negatives, and prints. Her LPs and record player will also have to be handled with care, but she thinks she can relax about the electronics.

Even if she has moved most of her art materials and photography equipment to the studio, she still kept a handful for her personal projects.

Making art or taking photos because she wants to and not for a client is how she unwinds.

Being paid is nice but doing things for herself is always better.

Sooyoung doesn't have those kinds of concerns. She doesn't own a lot of things.

The most personal would be her diaries and personal notes but it's not like a moving company would pry into those.

She suggests they can pack the more personal items themselves and take them with them through the car. The moving company can deal with everything else.

It's not until four months from now, but it pays to be ready and they're both willing to move out a little early if a place appeals to them that much.

The rest of the date is filled with lighter topics.

They talk about the non-work parts of their work day. She lets Seulgi whine about some minor inconvenience and Sooyoung tells her funny things that happened in the office.

They share a banana roti for dessert and Sooyoung finally tells her about how Joohyun and Ten helped her plan the date.

Seulgi had a hunch. She tells her she was touched considering she wouldn't mind if they just had an ordinary meal together.

"It's probably nothing like the kind of dates you had before," Sooyoung blushes.

Seulgi shook her head. "There were ones where I was dressed more formally or the restaurant was fine dining and looked over the city but… they never thought about what I wanted, you know?"

"What do you mean?"

The older girl laughs, toes at one of Sooyoung's legs under the table. "You thought of everything. What kind of flowers I liked, the food I wanted to eat. You asked around to make sure. You did this for me."

Sooyoung thinks she understands now. Seulgi speaks out what was in her head.

"They did it for their own satisfaction, you know? To feel good about themselves. Thought it would make it easier to…" Seulgi laughs.

(To get a pretty girl into bed with them. That's what she meant.)

"I had fun tonight," she tells Sooyoung sincerely, reaching out to hold her hand. "You may not think it's a lot but thank you for doing this for me even if we're supposed to celebrate you."

The younger girl just smiles and squeezes her hand. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. Let's go home?"

Seulgi nods. "Should I ask for the bill?"

"I already paid for it," Sooyoung answers, laughing at her girlfriend's eyes widening. "Just in case you'd insist on paying."

"Are you sure you really know me? I wouldn't pass up on free food," the older girl laughs.

Sooyoung scrunches her face at her and stands up, tugging Seulgi along. They told the manager they had a great meal and asked them to compliment the chef.

"Alright, drive us home," she tells Seulgi when they get to the car, making both of them laugh.

"Ah, I guess my pampering hours are over."

"Not quite," Sooyoung says as they enter the car. She traces a finger down from Seulgi's jaw to her exposed collarbone. "You get a nice massage from me when we get home."

"Wonderful. My back is acting up," Seulgi murmurs, chuckling when she leans in to kiss the pulse point on Sooyoung's neck. It fires up something inside of Joy.

"Well then," she replies, still trying to collect herself. "Shut up and drive."


	25. Lights, cameras

Yerim pretends to not know anything when Sooyoung arrives at the studio in Yongsan and she's there coordinating with the magazine staff.

The intern wordlessly ushers her towards where she will do hair and makeup, Sooyoung dressed in one of her best work outfits as instructed the night before.

She recognizes the makeup artists from a few projects she worked on and they comment about how they always thought she had potential to reach fame.

"I'm no celebrity," she simply says, flustered when the makeup artist compliments her for having good skin.

"Unnie," she suddenly hears Yerim say behind her. "You should post a Story while getting hair and makeup done."

"The kid knows what she's saying," the makeup artist says.

"And let me take behind-the-scenes photos too," Yerim added. "So you can post one to your Story later and the rest when the interview comes out."

Sooyoung stifled a laugh and nodded. "Alright. Time for you to start considering a career as a celebrity manager too."

"Just learned from what Joohyun unnie does," the intern responds. She covers her mouth, pretending to yawn, when she realizes what she almost did.

Joohyun is a hardliner when it comes to protecting Yerim's privacy. No one outside their friend group should know they are related. As much as possible, she doesn't let Yerim appear in her Instagram posts either.

She's still a college student and even 22 is too young to receive untoward attention in their books.

Joy finds herself in an odd position. Everyone knows she's one of Joohyun's close friends but even she doesn't talk about Yerim publicly. She didn't sign up for the public eye.

"Joohyun as in Irene Bae?" the makeup artist asks, finishing up Sooyoung's base makeup. "You two are close, right?"

Sooyoung makes an affirming sound. She can't move her face too much so as not to disrupt their work. Through the mirror, she sees Yerim relax.

"She's an absolute angel," they add. "I don't know why anyone would have the impression she's cold when she can be so playful and sweet."

The creative smiles as the makeup artist turns away to pick an eyeshadow palette. "We first worked together for unnie's contact lens shoot, right?"

"Right. When you walked in I was wondering if you were another model or something," the makeup artist teases, continuing their work. "This photoshoot and interview is for your work as a creative but anything is possible."

Sooyoung tries not to laugh and murmurs a polite thank you. If her senses are right, Yerim has disappeared off to somewhere else. She could not hear her or the constant ping from her phone notifications.

"Yerim," Joy calls out as a hairstylist takes over.

"Yes, unnie?" she responds, sounding far away. Sooyoung could not see her from the corner of her eyes or her mirrors.

"Come here, I need you to help me with something," she calls out again.

She vaguely remembers working with this hairstylist but she remembers Joohyun's words.

("Be careful what you do on your phone while getting your hair or makeup done," she told her when Sooyoung mentioned the photoshoot.

She knows she's starting to get recognized, but she hasn't gone as far as thinking she would have to worry about these things.

"Unless you have a good relationship with them," Joohyun added, "refrain from anything private. They can see things. It might not spread right away but you'll never know.")

Yerim appears by her side just when the hairstylist finishes putting her hair into a sleek low ponytail.

"I can do it myself now, I guess," Sooyoung sighs. "Thanks."

"Hey," Yerim pouts. "Something you had to do with your phone?"

She nods, pulling it out of her pocket. The intern has her moments but she is highly perceptive. "I can't seem to reach her."

"That won't be necessary," the woman in question says happily, flashing her cheekiest smile.

Sooyoung quickly spins her seat around, gripping onto the armrests so she's not tempted to jump and hug her girlfriend.

"What are you doing here?" she asks in a harsh whisper. "I thought you had a shoot?"

Seulgi smiles so big it must be hurting her cheeks right now. "Uh, yeah. This one. With you."

"Where did you go when you dropped me off?" Sooyoung asks, still in disbelief. How did the possibility slip her mind? How did they pull this off without her knowing?

The older girl just waves a paper bag in front of her. "Got breakfast for the three of us."

Sooyoung would pinch her but she's not here to leave a bad impression on the crew. These actions could be easily misinterpreted if they don't know how close they are.

She saw her this morning but it doesn't mean she can't admire how good she looks. It's a wonder if she'll ever get over it. Seulgi is in her usual outfit for photoshoots: sneakers and an oversized tee tucked into a good pair of jeans.

Yerim helps herself to a croissant and a hot chocolate, in between trying not to laugh and looking cautiously at Sooyoung who is still recovering from the surprise. Pretty sure she was worried she almost ruined their plan.

"Blueberry muffin?" Seulgi offers with a sheepish smile. She has her hair in a lazy half-up, half-down style, so simple but so charming.

Sooyoung takes it with a sweet smile and thanks. She's not mad. Just surprised and admittedly her heart is fluttering like a high school girl.

"I'm sorry I can only give you water," her girlfriend says. "I don't want to risk any spills or stains."

"I understand," Joy replies, smiling. She was wearing one of her more expensive outfits after all. "You're so good to me, you know that?"

Seulgi blushes and deflects the compliment. Looking around them, they remember that this isn't a private moment. "I should go check if they're done setting up."

"You should," the intern pipes in, taking Seulgi and Sooyoung's rubbish from their hands.

The photographer waves at them as she moves towards the main studio and Sooyoung keeps her eyes on her until she disappears from her sight.

"When will you stop being disgustingly sweet with each other?" Yerim asks, taking the seat beside Sooyoung.

"I can't finish this," Sooyoung says, ignoring her. "Do you want it?"

The intern tells her to try. "Don't get her upset. She doesn't like it when someone doesn't finish the food she gives them."

Sooyoung huffs and does her best to finish the muffin without messing up her clothes or makeup.

"The shoot starts in five minutes," Yerim tells her, touching up her own makeup in the mirror. She kind of missed it when the kid was still scared of her.

"I'll go," Sooyoung excuses herself. "Your phone is newer than mine so take behind pics from there. AirDrop them to me later."

The intern makes an affirming grunt, focused on her mascara.

Joy is all smiles again when the magazine editor talks to her about the interview questions.

The whole feature was a lot grander than she expected. There are three outfits in total. Two local brands saw Sooyoung wearing their clothes a lot and decided to sponsor some things from their upcoming collection.

She can't take the outfits home but she asks the stylist to tell them she will definitely be buying when they're officially released.

The photos come first and she steps in front of the camera, nervous. Sure, she gets photos taken of her and has had a few playful shoots with friends but this was going out to a bigger audience.

Photographer Kang Seulgi is more vocal than usual Seulgi, she remembers now. It's been a while since they worked together but she instantly remembers why everyone loves working with her.

"Let's start with some profile photos, Ms. Park," Seulgi says, smiling to herself.

She thinks she's funny acting like half the room doesn't know who they are to each other. The ones who really don't know have at least noticed chemistry and tension in the past.

It starts to get easy. Sooyoung becomes more comfortable in front of the camera because she reminds herself: this is Seulgi.

Seulgi makes anything and everyone look good through the things she creates. Better, even. She has a magic touch.

And how can she not do well when the woman she loves is praising her so much?

She knows she showers all her subjects with praise but even behind the camera obstructing her face, she can hear Seulgi's smile through her voice.

"Beautiful."

"Ah, that's good. I love it."

"You're a genius."

"Good! So good."

"So pretty."

Sooyoung nearly loses focus when she hears someone comment that she looks at the camera like it's someone she loves.

"Or like she's going to eat it up," someone else adds when she changes into a fiercer outfit.

She looks at Yerim who looks back at her knowingly, then puts on a face of disgust.

"I think we're good," Seulgi declares when she feels like they have all the photos she needs. She lets her assistant put away the cameras and immediately approaches Sooyoung.

"You did amazing," she tells her, taking Joy's hands into hers.

"She's a natural," the magazine editor comments from afar. "Born to be in front of the camera."

Sooyoung shakes her head and laughs, intertwining her fingers with Seulgi's. "Thank you for taking pretty pictures of me."

She had been so nervous she hesitated to even check the photos in between, but Yerim insisted. The behind-the-scenes photos and clips the intern took were really good too.

"I have to go do the interview," Sooyoung tells Seulgi, squeezing their fingers together before letting go. "Do you have anywhere to be after this?"

Seulgi shakes her head. "I can start choosing photos but it's going to be difficult trying to narrow them down."

"Ah the camera must really love me," the taller girl says smugly.

"The photographer loves you," Seulgi whispers, smiling. "But yes, you're photogenic. You know your angles. You're gorgeous."

Sooyoung smiles back. "I love you too, but I really need to go."

Her girlfriend pouts and walks off to help her assistants clean up, sort their equipment.

When she joins the interviewer at the designated area, they ease into small talk and compliments.

"I remember when you were a project manager for this rookie singer," the editor tells her. "You were so, sorry for my words, so timid."

"It was one of my first," Sooyoung explains. She asks for her permission to call her unnie and she lets her.

"Call me Aram unnie," she says. "I basically watched you grow up as a professional. I'm a fan of your work."

"Thank you, Aram unnie," Sooyoung says, embarrassed. "Do we follow each other on Instagram? I'm sorry, I can't remember."

"We do," she answers. "Before you even reached a million followers."

Joy laughs awkwardly, apologizing for forgetting.

Aram tells her it's no issue and suggests they can talk more. Perhaps become friends. They're not in the same field but their industries overlap and it's always good to have someone much more experienced to talk to.

"I'm nearly 40," the editor adds, smiling. "I'm very grateful I still get to do what I love. I see talented young people like you and pray you'll make it too. I'm happy to see you doing so well."

Sooyoung thanks her and asks if she has any tips on a lasting career. She dreams of a time where she can work less and choose projects she truly enjoys.

For now, it's a distant dream. She feels blessed with the amount of work she gets as a rising creative professional, working with people others only dream of.

"Don't let someone without a plan disturb you," Aram says, with a laugh that tells you she's speaking from experience. "I'm happy I have a supportive partner."

Sooyoung's expressions always betray her. She tried not to let it show on her face but the word choice was intriguing.

"I see what you and Seulgi are," the editor says, noticing her reaction immediately. "We're the same."

Sooyoung apologizes again, laughing at herself. "How long have you been together?"

Aram chuckles lightly. "13 years."

"So it's possible," Sooyoung says. The editor understood what she meant. From where she's sitting, Joy sees Seulgi struggling as she winds up a cable and it makes her smile fondly.

"It is," she replies. "Seulgi doesn't usually stay this long after a shoot, right?"

Joy nods. "I didn't ask her to wait for me but knowing her, she might be."

"Let's move on to the actual interview then?" Aram asks with a playful smile.


	26. Warmth

Sunday mornings mean kisses that simply do not stop. Tomorrow, Sooyoung is stepping into her new position officially after a smooth and successful turnover but right now her whole world is Seulgi and Seulgi and Seulgi.

Today, she’s more interested in other kinds of positions because why the hell not. Her girlfriend is irresistible and satisfying yet at the same time she simply cannot have enough.

Seulgi loves it. She takes Joy’s hand in hers as the taller girl nuzzles her face into her neck, whispering sweet nothings between kisses. She holds her hand because 1) she wants to hold her girlfriend’s hand and 2) she’s still very, very sensitive after the other girl wanted to have her for breakfast.

“Sooyoung,” she whimpers when the girl nips on her earlobe.

“Hmm?”

She giggles when the younger girl brushes her nose along Seulgi’s jaw, only to get a moan out of her when Joy licks against a particularly sensitive part of her neck very, very slowly.

“Love,” she tries again to no avail. When Sooyoung makes her gasp yet again, she gives up and lets the hand she was holding go where it’s been meaning to.

Lunch is past 1pm because that’s what happens when you let Sooyoung have her way until they’re both exhausted. They only wake up to the alarm Seulgi has learned to set for Sundays because otherwise they wouldn’t know when to get out of bed.

Sooyoung pouts because Seulgi leaves for the shower before she can con her into showering together.

“Why are you still pouting?” the older girl asks when she returns, immediately putting on something comfortable. “I’m getting old, Sooyoung,” she jokes, sitting on the edge of the bed. She pulls Joy’s cheeks into a smile and kisses her when it doesn’t work.

“I love you,” Sooyoung simply says, burying her face in Seulgi’s neck again. At least now she’s wearing her girlfriend’s shirt from last night.

“You’re upset because you love me?” Seulgi asks, her face twisting into concern after laughing a bit. She holds onto Joy’s shoulders and pulls back so they’re looking at each other. “I love you too but please don’t be upset.”

Seulgi holds her still before she tries to bury her face in her shoulder again. “Use your words, Sooyoung,” she tells her.

The younger girl lets out a deep sigh. “Am I too needy?”

“Who said that? You aren’t,” her girlfriend answers.

Sooyoung laughs hollowly at herself. “Just wondering if I’m not being too much? I always want to have you within sight or touch you and I know we have always been busy people but-”

“Stop.”

She only gives her girlfriend a confused, questioning look.

“I think that’s not what you're really worried about,” Seulgi says slowly. “I love you. I’m in love with you. I am so lucky to have you because what we have is something that others only dream of in their lifetime.” She looks shy saying all this but there’s a steady determination underneath it.

Sooyoung only nods, blushing and flustered and somehow humbled. She needs to be more grateful to even be with Seulgi at all, right? To find love again.

“You know me,” the older girl continues carefully. “I’m someone who needs her space, someone who doesn’t mind being alone at all.”

“That’s why I asked,” she mumbles, scratching on the sheets quietly. “When you said you were scared you couldn’t give the other person what they needed in a relationship, I wondered what that meant about me. Is what I need too much for you?”

Seulgi frowns. “When have I ever hesitated to show you I love you?” Sooyoung quirks up an eyebrow. She almost smiles. “I mean. After it became pretty obvious we’re into each other.”

“You aren’t asking for too much,” Seulgi adds, moving so she’s fully seated on the bed. She has both of Joy’s hands in hers now. “You aren’t too needy. I love being with you and when we’re apart, I find myself missing you a lot more than I thought I would. I literally forget people exist and take ages to get back to them unless it’s work-related but that's not the case with you.”

Sooyoung tries to stop the smile forming on her face. “Why don’t you text me more, then?”

“I-” Seulgi laughs with her entire body, the way she does when she knows Sooyoung is being ridiculous on purpose. The younger girl lets herself chuckle as Seulgi pulls her into her arms. “We literally live together. I’m always thinking about you when we’re not together. I can’t be texting you the entire time.”

They’re both laughing now and it makes Seulgi let out one of her satisfied sighs, kissing Sooyoung softly. She pulls away too soon for her liking but the way she’s looking at her Joy makes the younger girl feel like she doesn’t really have to worry. Seulgi is there and she loves her and they both want each other so much.

“I’m not leaving you.”

The words make Sooyoung forget how to breathe for a second and Seulgi rubs patterns onto the back of her hand to remind her how. She must have recognized the look on the younger girl’s face as fear, as “how can you be so sure”.

“It’s too soon to tell, right? It’s a very bold thing to say, even for me,” the older girl says and Sooyoung agrees.

Seulgi lets Sooyoung rest her head on her lap, running a hand up and down her back. She’s so good at pulling the thoughts out of Joy’s head and they’re both praying it stays out of there. For a while it’s quiet and Seulgi looks like there’s more she wants to say. She doesn't.

“I don’t think we’ve seen each other at our worst,” Sooyoung says, finally looking at Seulgi again. “I’m scared of what would happen then.”

“I think…” Seulgi starts, sighing at herself. She thinks for a while and Sooyoung just waits. “I think it’s going to be hard. I don’t even want to start thinking about how bad I used to get but I don’t want to ever be pushed to that point ever again.”

“Hm. Me neither.”

“As long as we’re being honest to each other and we’re willing to work it out, I think we can go through anything,” the older girl tells Joy, rounding her thumb against her cheek.

Sooyoung smiles. “Yeah.”

"Now," Seulgi helps Joy sit up so they're eye level with each other. She's intent on maintaining eye contact. "Before your thoughts continue to spiral and you start thinking about how you would break up with me because you're scared I'd leave you first, I won't. I'm not going to let you go either if I can tell it's just your fears talking. Alright?"

"Alright," Joy replies, smiling but still embarrassed.

Multiple promises of not selling herself short and asserting her worth yet she still feels so worried about losing her girlfriend who has given her zero reason to doubt so far.

"I'm going to make us lunch," the older girl says. "You take a nice relaxing bath. How does that sound?"

"Perfect," Sooyoung replies. "How are you so perfect?"

Seulgi laughs softly and shakes her head. "I'm not perfect. Alright. Go to the bathroom before I drag you there myself."

"Why can't you carry me like a princess?"

"You're taller than me and I don't think I'm strong enough for that," her girlfriend replies.

Sooyoung frowns and squeezes Seulgi's biceps, "Really?"

The older girl flexes a little and tells her she has no idea what she's talking about. They laugh and Seulgi sighs and smiles at her lovingly. "Come, I'll wash your hair."

They've had a few playful baths and steamy showers together before but this felt far more intimate than any of those.

It's romantic, Joy thinks, as she's sitting in a nice warm bath and her girlfriend lathers shampoo into her hair.

Seulgi is seated on the edge of the bath and she'll probably have to change into new clothes after some of the water splashed onto her. It doesn't matter. The love of her life is relaxed and happily leaning back against her.

She takes her time in massaging Sooyoung's scalp and washing all of her long hair thoroughly. So soothing that Joy might even fall asleep.

A love song fills the bathroom as Seulgi sings and hums, her sweet and warm voice calming the younger girl even if she's not quite sure about the lyrics.

"Thank you," Sooyoung mumbles as her girlfriend rinses her hair with some clean water from the faucet. There is something so delicate about her diligence and patience.

Joy read something before about how consensual touch activates all the happy hormones, how the nerve endings in your scalp go off like fireworks when someone washes your hair for you. Even more so that it's Seulgi, so reassuring in her quiet confidence that they can make this work.

"I love you," Seulgi replies, tilting Sooyoung's face towards her so she can give her a kiss. "I would not mind helping you all the way but I promised to cook for us. I'll let you know when the food is ready."

The younger girl scrunches her nose at her and tells her she loves her too.

Silly but she misses her as soon as she's out the door, making a bad joke about how wet Sooyoung got her.

It's not as bad after all the assurance she received. She believes in Seulgi because she's Seulgi who hates lying and anyone would feel terrible if the person they love does not believe them.

Sooyoung is out of the bath and dressed after another half an hour in the bath. Part of the time was spent exfoliating but most of it was just her enjoying the warm water. Thinking of nothing is always a welcome change to her never-ending thoughts.

The smell of today's lunch, bibimbap, hits her as soon as she steps out into the kitchen.

The vegetables in the rice bowl are neat and sliced thinly, a major improvement from the clumsy chunks Seulgi's vegetable slices used to be.

It's surprising to see cucumber in the bowl but that's who Seulgi is. She eats it even if she hates it. She does what has to be done even if she dreads it.

"Thank you for the meal," Joy happily exclaims, mixing the ingredients together thoroughly. Her mouth waters from the sight alone and she skips her usual food photos to just dive in.

Seulgi watches proudly as Sooyoung shuts her eyes and shimmies her shoulders because of how good the food is.

"Everything tastes better when you're hungry, huh," Seulgi teases, making appreciative noises as she eats her first spoonful. "Ah, that hits the spot. Good thing I had some marinated bulgogi in the refrigerator."

"You're a genius," the younger girl tells her. She would say Seulgi always knows what to do but that's not really the case. It doesn't matter. She does things right when it comes to things that matter.

Sooyoung instinctively cleans up after them and does the dishes when they finish eating. Seulgi leaves to brush her teeth, get changed, and grab her phone from their bedroom. She takes her usual spot on the sofa while she waits for Sooyoung to finish.

Affectionate invasions of space. That's what they call the way Joy loves to lay herself against Seulgi even though there are vacant seats right there.

She's learned how to do it without crushing her slightly smaller girlfriend, who admittedly loves it.

Usually strong and tall, Sooyoung is soft and pliant and trusting in Seulgi's arms.

"What do we do now?" she asks, a cheek squished against her girlfriend's shoulder.

"You have to stop thinking we always have to be doing something," Seulgi replies. "This is nice, right?"

Sooyoung nods or at least tries from her position. The way she can feel how Seulgi's chest vibrates as she talks is somehow soothing to her.

When she says I love you and Seulgi says it back, Sooyoung tries to memorize how it feels.


	27. Looking good

The first few days have been rocky but Sooyoung is starting to ease into her new title.

Their company has really grown since she joined. She can't put faces to names as easily anymore although she tries her best to personally introduce herself to every new team member.

There are projects she's never heard of before but the project manager almost falls on his knees in gratitude when she comes in and provides some much needed creative input.

The client was waiting on their proposal for the Fall Winter campaign and they were stuck after a common case of having way too many ideas.

Most of Sooyoung's Wednesday morning is spent in that conference room, hunched over mood boards and concept plans which are all rather good.

"Taeoh," the creative calls out, holding up the mood boards for the two concepts she thinks are best. But she has an important question. "These two are great, but which one is more aligned with the concept of this collection and the brand overall?"

He looks at her like she asked him the square root of an imperfect number. "I…"

"Did you get to talk to the client about their design process for this collection?"

Her junior shakes his head. "I only followed the creative brief after the project was assigned to me."

She massages her temple and sighs. "You don't have enough to work with but you also do not have enough time."

"Ms. Park, please," he says, nearly begging. "What should I do?"

"Ask your client better questions next time," she tells him. Her tone was more concerned than cutting. Joy begins to do more research about the brand and the designer, taking a peek at any progress photos they uploaded. She ignores the poor boy apologizing from his end of the table.

Sooyoung clicks her tongue and gestures for him to come over and look at what she's doing.

"Do more in-depth research," she says, showing him the tabs she had open. "You need to act like you're a co-owner of their business. Understand their mission and vision. Not just their sales goals."

He apologizes again and she tilts her head to the side.

"I feel more confident about this one," she says, pointing to one of the two concept plans. "What I would do in this situation is to still present them both."

"It's a little more work," Joy continues, "but it gives them the impression that you are going the extra mile. Present the one I picked first and go into detail and then introduce the other one saying, this may not be the usual route the brand would go but it can be a fresh approach that even loyal fans would welcome."

"This brand is a few years into the industry, they have a loyal customer base. If they choose the concept that's not exactly on brand then you can position it as a fresh approach only for this season."

Taeoh nods along and Sooyoung wishes he understood everything she said because she was not going to say it again.

"You're not that interested in fashion, aren't you?" she asks, trying not to sound judgemental. He's in a decent office outfit but it says nothing about his personality unless he is truly as boring as he looks. The haircut… it's not the most flattering. Pedestrian.

He shakes his head and apologizes yet again.

Sooyoung frowns. "Take care of yourself. Figure out your personal style. We have a grooming allowance and we're connected to people who can help you."

"This is not just a job, Taeoh," she tells him seriously. He's staring at the floor now but she would appreciate it if he looked at her. "You are representing our company with every interaction. If you look your best and do your best, this position can open up so many opportunities for you. We're trying to help you, okay?"

"Yes, Ms. Park."

She gives him a firm pat on the back and tells him to prepare an email for the client presenting the two ideas.

"I'm sorry if I sounded too harsh," Joy says as she excuses herself to attend to other projects.

"Not at all, Ms. Park," he says, bowing.

"If everything goes well, we can talk over lunch so I can help you more. With the project and how you present yourself. My treat. Alright?"

Taeoh is smiling a bit now, nodding. "Alright."

The boy is timid. A fresh graduate, she believes. Just when she thought no one could be as timid and uncertain as she used to be, he outdid Sooyoung from nearly two years ago.

"Why does your company only hire good-looking people?" Joohyun asks her when they meet for lunch. She had a free day and it's been a while since they talked in person. "Pretty sure that would set you up for a discrimination suit."

"You think I'm good-looking?" Sooyoung asks instead, flattered by the compliment from god herself.

The actress laughs. "Would I approve of you for Seulgi if you weren't?"

"I didn't know I needed to pass your standards first," she replies, feigning bewilderment.

"Well, you passed the visual part very easily," Joohyun replies. "I needed more time to see if you were in it for the long haul."

Sooyoung raises her brows and shrugs. "You are super protective of Seulgi and Yerim."

"I don't even realized when I'm doing it but I don't think it should be shocking. I basically raised them."

"You sure did," Joy answers, smiling. She starts eating after Irene takes her first bite.

"To think of it," the actress suddenly says about her question from earlier, "You do need your employees to look good. Brand image things."

Sooyoung nods. "Brand image things."

Irene's film finally has a release date and they start catching up on what she has been doing since filming ended.

She hasn't exactly been free. There were promotional videos to film since it was coming out on Netflix a month after it's out in theaters and there are already interviews from reporters and magazines lined up for next week.

She's on her first break since the promo train started.

"Wendy's album is out tonight," Sooyoung mentions towards the end of their meal. "She texted if she could call me last night because she was so nervous."

The call was unexpected but Sooyoung thought Seungwan would want to hear from someone who was there for her humble beginnings.

"Her music is great and she's done so well so far," Joohyun says. "There's no reason for her to be nervous."

"It's her debut album, unnie," the creative points out. "Were you not nervous about your first drama or film?"

The actress straight up cackles. "Of course I was. I still get nervous. Each one is different and you don't know how people would react. I'm not the type to take the same kind of roles, you know."

"That's your answer, then," Sooyoung points out.

"Is her company doing anything for the launch? Like a live or something," Irene asks.

"Hmm. There's a press showcase at 3PM today and an intimate fan party tomorrow but nothing for when it's out at 6PM later."

"I guess she really isn't the type of person who does all these celebrity things," the actress says, laughing. "I mean I'm not either but I see she values her fans and listeners."

Joy smiles fondly. "What if we throw a launch listening party for her? It's a very short notice but we can just order in and gather at someone's place. We watch the music video when it's released and listen to the album together."

"I don't think any of us know where she currently lives," Irene says. "But we aren't making this a surprise anyway. Ask Yerim for her manager's number so we can have this arranged?"

"Let me call her," Sooyoung offers.

The intern responded quickly, probably out of fear it was work-related but they didn't need to do anything to encourage her to help.

Yerim quickly gets in touch with Seungwan's manager, who she has somehow managed to befriend over time, and they confirm Wendy was just planning to sit in her apartment and avoid the charts and reviews like she usually does anyway.

As soon as the singer finishes her technical rehearsals for the press showcase, the trio quickly jump on a video call with her.

"What's going on?" Wendy asks, looking at the three others on the group call with her.

Joohyun is busy walking around what looks like a party decor store, Yerim is hiding away in a corner of a studio she was working from today, and Sooyoung is on her afternoon break at the company pantry.

"We've confirmed with your manager that you have nothing planned for your album release tonight but Sooyoung told me you were nervous about the release so we have staged an intervention," the actress explains.

"An intervention," the singer repeats.

Yerim joins in, whispering, "We're going to do an album launch listening party! It's just us five for now but you can invite others if you want."

"Five?"

"Seulgi is coming," Sooyoung fills in. "She started working at 3AM today so she's taking a nap right now but she should be up by 3 or 4 o'clock."

"Wow, her work schedule really gets crazy," Joohyun comments.

Yerim snickers. "Coming from you."

"She's a photographer."

"And you're a celebrity, the kind of people she photographs," the youngest retorts.

"Anyway," Joy says loudly, breaking up the fight virtually. "Your manager is crazy enough to let Joohyun unnie into your apartment so she can start decorating because she's extra like that. The three of us will be coming in at around 5PM. We chipped in for the food and beverages."

Wendy just blinks at them for a few seconds. "I don't think I can say no at this point."

"That's right," Irene says, smirking.

"Oh my god…" Wendy gasps. "I have not cleaned my apartment."

"Aren't you non-religious…" Joy points out.

"It's not like we're faithful, practicing Protestants either," the youngest says, laughing a little louder now. She covers her mouth after looking nervously to her side.

The eldest among them raises her brows. "I won't be able to tell if I find clothes that aren't yours."

Sooyoung covers her face in secondhand embarrassment. Don't get her wrong, she'd be delighted if her ex has someone good making her happy, but it brings back some funny memories.

The two celebrities are bickering in the background, Wendy being overly defensive about how she's not like that, while Yerim asks for permission to leave because she really has to get back to work now.

They let the youngest off while Seungwan is the reddest red and Joohyun is laughing so loudly in the taxi she hailed on her way to tonight's venue.

"Sooyoung, I'll send the address to the rest of you after this call," Joohyun says after calming down. "Seungwan, don't worry. I won't be going into your bedroom. The veranda is connected to the living room, right?"

"How do you know that?" Seungwan asks, even more confused now. "Did my manager tell you?"

The actress shakes her head. "Seulgi and I used to live in that building. Same floor, actually. A few doors down from yours."

"You lived together?" Sooyoung asks with more curiosity than surprise. Maybe it's a detail she missed when Seulgi told her the story.

She notices Irene's expression falter for the shortest moment before smiling again. Neither of them know how much Seungwan knows about Seulgi. From what she knows about Joohyun, she probably doesn't want to expose her.

"When I went back to university," Joohyun shares and nothing more.

When Seulgi got stuck in that situation and needed help. She remembers now.

The two chat a bit about the apartment, if it's changed at all since 2016, and Sooyoung is just relieved Seungwan moved to a new place and she didn't have to deal with possible flashbacks from their old apartment.

Even with everything settled and placed behind them, the brain can be a little rude.

They had to end the call not too long after. Wendy has to change into her outfit for the press showcase and the two give her a little pep talk.

"I'll have your signed albums when we meet at my place," Seungwan tells them, smiling giddily. Her friends excitedly give her the most formal thank you.

Then it's only Joohyun and Sooyoung left in the call and Sooyoung starts to say goodbye to her, telling her to text if there's anything she needs help with.

"Sooyoung," Joohyun says right before she was supposed to end the call, voice and expression suddenly serious.

"Yes, unnie?"

The older girl gives her a small smile. "I just think you should know more about the time Seulgi and I lived together."

"She told me why she asked for your help but not what happened after," Sooyoung says, just to give Joohyun background about what she knows.

Joohyun hums in understanding. "I thought it was better for her to just move out and save herself the trouble. An eviction would look bad on her record when she looks for a new place, although legally I think that crazy woman would have not been able to do that."

"You're so kind, unnie."

"I paid so she can break the lease early," the actress shares. "But she insisted on paying me back once she started earning more than she needs."

"Of course she would."

Irene smiles with her. "The unit in Seungwan's building now was my secondary apartment at the time. Seulgi had it to herself whenever I was busy working."

Sooyoung nearly laughs. "I'm sorry if I'm being blunt but I'm not thinking of it maliciously, if that's a concern."

Joohyun raises her brows, the shadow of a smile on her face before she composes herself. "I'm telling you because I know Seulgi always forgets to mention details. You reacted earlier so I thought I needed to tell you."

Sooyoung nods, knowing where she's coming from. "Thank you, unnie."

"I'll see you later, Sooyoung."

The rest of the work day is a breeze, the thought of meeting with friends later helping Joy power through.

She's off early today, starting two hours earlier than usual because she wanted to get some work done for the projects she chose to see through the end. If she started work at the usual start of her shift, she would be too busy dividing her time between projects that needed her input.

Before she leaves the office at 3PM, she gives the project management team a talk and checks up on the young project manager she helped earlier.

He's smiling now, fresh from a much-needed haircut he must have gotten over lunch. Sooyoung complimented Taeoh on his quick action and his ability to work on areas for improvement as they're pointed out to him.

She advises the rest of the team to make appointments for consultations moving forward.

If there's one thing she learned from her first three days in the position, it's that a lot of projects desperately needed the help.

It almost makes her feel bad about the accounts in her portfolio doing so well when others were having a hard time. She did her best to help when she can but she tries to reframe her perspective.

At least now, she gets to help everyone and ensure quality work across the company portfolio.

Consultations are time-consuming. Joy opts for a taxi ride on the way home so she can sort out her calendar and set new standards for consultations.

Streamlined processes always lead to better outputs.

She needs each one to stay under one hour, no more than three or four a day, so she still has time for her own projects.

Seulgi's personal project was going well and they already found four other mothers who didn't get to pursue their artist dreams to participate in the exhibition.

They are yet to decide on a title, but the theme will definitely be hope.

The photographer's mother was emotional when she heard about it, which was rare because her father was the sentimental one. In her excitement, Seulgi's mom already picked what she wanted to exhibit and prepared titles and descriptions.

Her girlfriend is already awake when she reaches their apartment. Sooyoung takes it upon herself to choose an outfit for Seulgi who is currently in a washed out university shirt and sweats.

"Wash your face, brush your teeth," the younger girl instructs. Seulgi is still barely awake but she reaches for the specs she only uses at home and does as she's told.

"You should really wear specs out more often," Sooyoung comments when she returns, giving her kisses and a big hug. "Aren't contacts inconvenient?"

Seulgi giggles, swaying Sooyoung from left to right as they hug. "I'm not sure how other photographers do their shoots with eyeglasses on, I just can't."

"But you look so cute," Joy frowns.

"Ah so this is more about your enjoyment than my comfort," her girlfriend teases. "I'll wear them tonight, then."

Sooyoung, who has a stupid grin on her face, removes the eyewear and gives Seulgi another kiss. "Now get changed. We have to get there by 5PM."

"Where is the place?" Seulgi asks, looking satisfied with the outfit Sooyoung chose for her.

"Apparently it's in the same building where you and Joohyun unnie used to live."

The photographer stops in the middle of pulling a sweater on. "What?"

The younger girl walks over and helps her put it on properly, showing her the address Joohyun sent them.

"Same floor too," Sooyoung adds. Seulgi looks at her like she's not speaking the same language. "Joohyun unnie told me about it so you don't have to be so freaked out. It's alright."

"...how much did she tell you?"

Sooyoung takes a step back to look at how Seulgi looks and puts the specs on her. So adorable. "Everything important, I think? I don't need the details."

"Alright." Seulgi licks her lips and removes her ponytail so she can make it neater. She sits on the edge of the bed. "There's one thing I need to get out of the way before we leave though."

"What, you slept with her too?" Sooyoung jokes as she starts making the bed.

"...well."

Joy nearly drops the pillow she was holding. She hits Seulgi with it instead. "Why were you so damn horny?"

The photographer doesn't even try to shield herself. Her expression is midway between fear and laughter.

"Why didn't you say so when we went through your body count?" Sooyoung asks, hitting her gently one more time.

She can't say she's mad because it's been so long and Joohyun talks about Seulgi like her own blood now. Strange, if not questionable, how they managed to get past that but that's another story for another day.

"Would you believe me if I said I forgot?" Seulgi asks, squinting.

"If I had sex with god herself I don't think I'd forget that."

Seulgi sighs at herself, "I was panicking when you asked and now we're going back there, it came back to me."

Sooyoung groans and presses her palms into her eyes. Thank god for no-smudge makeup. "I'm not mad. At least you're telling me now. Your friendship is so weird. It's a miracle you're still as close as you are."

"How many times?" Joy asks when Seulgi doesn't say anything. She's been telling herself she doesn't want to think about it but… Just to get it out of the way.

"We didn't talk about it after the first time so when it happened again, she insisted we had to sit down and talk the next day."

"So two."

Seulgi nods.

"And when you talked, you decided it had to stop," Joy guesses.

"Yeah," the other girl replies. "She was getting busy again then too so we both got enough time apart to clear our heads. It was mostly just me being lonely and lost after everything and she was… trying to process her attraction to me."

"She vaguely mentioned questioning her feelings before but not like this." Sooyoung sighs and pats Seulgi's cheeks. "At least that's one person we can consider for a threesome."

"You're not serious…"

Joy only pats her cheeks one more time and slowly breaks into a playful grin. "Let's go."

"She's like a real sister to me, Sooyoung!" Seulgi yells out when the taller girl heads towards the front door first, laughing maniacally.

Sooyoung kisses her deeply when they're alone in the elevator. "I'm not sure I'd like to share," she says, their lips brushing as she tugs her closer with a finger in one of her belt loops.

"Me neither," Seulgi replies, going in for another kiss.

"But if it's Joohyun unnie?" the younger girl teases again. Even Joy finds the way she's reacting to this very absurd. It must be the exhaustion from such a taxing day.

The other girl pouts but her eyes twinkle with mischief. "I'm not sure if you're jealous of her or you're jealous of me."

"Well, she has indirectly complimented my looks and figure," Sooyoung replies. She places a fingertip on Seulgi's nose and drags it down to her pouting lips. "But you're the only one who makes me so…"

Seulgi takes her wrist and puts two of Sooyoung's digits in her mouth, her tongue making a quick demonstration of what the younger girl wanted to say. Joy feels her satisfied smile when Seulgi gets the reaction she wants.

"Exactly," Joy says, chuckling lightly when Seulgi pulls back and uses a handkerchief to clean up. It's going to be hard being patient at the party tonight but she did it to herself.

The elevator pings open when they reach the second basement parking lot and Sooyoung giggles as she tugs her girlfriend towards the Mini Cooper's designated parking spot.

"She is totally going to kill us if she hears about this," Sooyoung thinks out loud.

"If you don't kill me with embarrassment first," Seulgi says as she opens the passenger door for her, "Yes."

Her phone starts ringing when she gets to the driver's seat and she groans. "Speaking of the devil… Unnie. Yes, hi. We're on our way. It's not that far… no. No! We didn't. We had a… conversation."

Sooyoung looks at her as she tries to pull out of her parking spot while still on the call. "Put it on loudspeaker."

The driver presses her lips together and places her phone on the holder.

"You told her," Joohyun figures out, her laughter filling the car. "Ah that was crazy. We were crazy. I didn't want to tell her because that's for you to share and deal with. How did she handle it?"

Joy tries not to laugh loud enough for the mic to pick it up. She tries everything. Bites her cheek, pinches herself. Everything is funnier when you're not supposed to laugh.

"She's not mad," Seulgi answers as she steers into the main street. "Just chastised past me for being so horny."

"Before you two got together I joked a lot about being the third person in your relationship with how much I was helping but—"

"Not you too…" the driver groans.

Joohyun cracks up and Sooyoung finally bursts into laughter. "What do you mean by 'too'? Did she also joke about a threesome? I love how her sense of humor can be so crude. It's been a while for me, though…"

"I sure do hope you two are joking," Seulgi mumbles, her ears and nose all red now.

"Unnie, she's so red she might blow up soon," Sooyoung tells her, still laughing.

The actress continues to lose it from her end of the line. It takes her a while to collect herself and Sooyoung tries to do the same. "Alright. Enough of that. Seungwan is on her way too so try to arrive before she does."

Seulgi lets out an exasperated sigh as they stop at a red light, squinting at Sooyoung. "Yes, ma'am."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was supposed to just be headcanon but I had too much fun writing it into this. I will be busy again when the week starts. Hehe


	28. Preface

It doesn't take more than 15 minutes for Sooyoung to find and pay for Seungwan's favorite champagne at the duty free department store. Seulgi waits for her in the car near one of the side entrances and she's on the phone with her mom when Sooyoung returns.

"No, mom. You don't have to come to Seoul if you're busy," Seulgi says into the phone, looking up to acknowledge the girl joining her in the car.

Sooyoung lifts the shopping bag to show off her purchase and fastens her seatbelt. There's a free greeting card attached so she looks for a pen and writes a short congratulatory message.

"I can go there this weekend and pick up the negatives so we can have them printed for the exhibition, yes," the older girl tells her mother. "You're amazing, mom. How did you manage to store them all these years?"

Sooyoung pushes the pen and paper bag towards her so she can sign the card. It's their gift and any time there is something she thinks of theirs she gets extra excited.

The photographer struggles with multitasking, squishing her phone between her cheeks and shoulder so she can write. Her girlfriend shows mercy and holds the phone for her, playfully running a thumb along the shell of her ear.

"Of course I'm not just going to get stuff from the exhibit, mama," Seulgi says, pouting. "We can go to the park and have dinner together." 

She hands the gift and pen back to Sooyoung and mouths a thank you for holding the phone. "Yes, I can stay overnight. Sooyoung will be okay with it. Right, love?"

Now that's a little surprising. Seulgi has visited her parents a few times since they got together but she always went home to her. Sooyoung almost feels sorry. Her girlfriend is such a filial daughter and she never wants her to feel like she's keeping her from anyone, especially her own parents.

"I'll be alright, mom. Don't worry."

Seulgi's shoulders rise and her cheeks go up to her ears when Sooyoung calls her mom "mom". It's standard politeness but it gets her all giddy. Her expression turns into surprise quickly.

"...bring her with me?"

The older girl starts the engine and looks at Sooyoung as if to ask what she's thinking. They haven't really talked about meeting the parents in person. 

As far as she knows, Seulgi's mom loves her. Sometimes she'd even call her directly instead of checking up on her through Seulgi.

Her girlfriend's dad, however, is always busy and still struggles with the idea of her princess being in her first serious relationship.

They haven't talked much but Seulgi insists he loves Sooyoung. It's just the idea of her dating seriously, and at this level of seriousness, that gets to him.

"Are you free this weekend?" Seulgi asks even though she's well aware Sooyoung keeps her weekends free.

"Yes," the younger girl replies, firmly but carefully.

"Would you like to come with me to my parent's house this weekend?"

If Seulgi looks and sounds like she's asking this at gunpoint, Sooyoung understands. They have never talked about this and she never wants to force her into anything but it sounds like her mom wants an answer right now.

"They are super eager to meet you," Seulgi adds, just to fill the silence.

Sooyoung takes a deep breath. There's still a few more days until Saturday. She has time to brace herself.

"Yeah. I'd love to." She's nervous it's happening so soon but her enthusiasm is genuine. It's only been two weeks since they officially started dating. Seulgi must understand the worry.

"We'll see you on Saturday, mama," Seulgi says, smiling nervously.

"No, you don't have to prepare anything grand," the older girl adds. "Sooyoung's family is not that different from ours. Bye, mama. I love you. See you."

"Bye, mom," Sooyoung says, hopefully loud enough for her to hear.

Seulgi lets out a deep breath when the call ends. They're not too far from Seungwan's apartment now.

Early in their friendship, they learned they both grew up in houses which have been passed down for generations. They eat while seated on cushions around a long table, traditional holidays are a big deal, and warmth in winter comes from the heated stone floor where they sleep, play, do everything.

Neither of them had their own bed until much later when they moved to Seoul.

"Do you think they'd still like me when they meet me in person?" Sooyoung asks as they get off the car, hugging their gift close to her chest.

"They'll love you," Seulgi tells her, wrapping a hand around her waist as they walk towards the building. "My mom is a great cook so you'll love it there and dad will warm up to you. I promise. He'll see that he can trust you."

"Really? You think so?"

The older girl nods and pulls her in for a big hug. "They'll love anyone who I love but they'll love you for you."

Sooyoung relaxes into the hug and kisses Seulgi's shoulder. "Alright. Let's go up."

The apartment building is slightly older than Seulgi's but it matches its level aesthetically. Seulgi shudders as they walk past the unit that holds a lot of memories.

"We can overwrite those memories," Sooyoung jokes, kissing her against a wall. Seulgi whimpers and melts into it but she tells her they have to move along.

Joohyun opens the door for them. She confirms that yes, she chilled the champagne glasses as instructed. Seungwan was still taking a much needed hot shower after a successful press showcase.

"She almost forgot I was here," the eldest shares, sitting on one of the bar stools. "She was so surprised when she opened the door and I was up on her sofa hanging up streamers."

"What did she say?" Sooyoung asks, inspecting the delivery food on the kitchen island.

"She apologized for her reaction. I guess she hasn't had a beautiful woman in her place for a while."

Sooyoung shoots her a look as she places the champagne in the refrigerator.

"And right now, she has three!" Joohyun grins, slapping her knees as she gets up to admire her own design work.

"It looks really nice," Seulgi comments, although her eyes trailed back to the food.

"Yeah, Seungwan said she loves it," she responds, looking very proud of herself. "I tried to talk to her a little more about how the showcase went but she excused herself. Am I really that intimidating?"

Sooyoung says she kind of is. "I mean I was intimidated at first but it got easier after we had a drink together."

"But we have had a drink together," Irene points out. "After her mini concert, with the five of us."

"Where's Yerim?" Seulgi asks.

"She's on her way," the eldest answers. She turns back to Sooyoung and returns to the topic. "Maybe it's because it was our first time talking that it was just us?"

Sooyoung shrugs. "She's a fan of yours so I guess. That's funny. She's usually very nosy."

"I am not very nosy," Seungwan chimes in, now dressed in a simple white tee and jeans. "I am merely curious about people I want to get close with."

"Ah so she's not interested in getting close with me," Irene says, crossing her arms.

"You're…" she gestures towards the actress vaguely, expression incomprehensible. "You're THE Irene Bae."

Joohyun laughs. "I'm just Bae Joohyun. And don't act like you're not THE Wendy Shon."

"I'm just Son Seungwan," the singer counters, mimicking what the other celebrity said. "Mortal next to a goddess."

Seulgi and Sooyoung give each other a look.

"How about we set up for the party?" Sooyoung offers, moving towards the living room.

She takes the remote control and finds the premiere link for Seungwan's upcoming music video, which already has a few thousand people waiting.

The premiere is in a little over an hour and they turn on notifications just because.

"I got you a bottle of your favorite champagne, by the way," Sooyoung tells Seungwan when she settles into the couch.

"How?" the singer asks. She used to have a hard time finding it but always made it a point to have one for celebrations.

"Duty free department stores are a blessing," she replies. "It's chilling in the refrigerator. I'll bring it out later."

Seungwan smiles and thanks her. Sooyoung is not surprised that fact about her stayed the same.

Joohyun is seated on the far end of the sofa and Sooyoung is right beside her. Seulgi quietly takes the space between her and Seungwan.

"Yerim is going to have to sit on the chair over there," Seulgi chuckles, setting a box of pizza on top of the coffee table. There's a bottle of cola that's mostly going to be her and Joohyun's and some sparkling grape juice beside it.

They catch up about their day, learning to talk about everything except charts and sales because Wendy still gets freaked out about it.

"I really don't like reading articles or comments," Wendy tells them, "unless I recently did a live performance and I want to know how I did."

"It looks like you did amazing," Seulgi tells her, reading an article from her phone. 

"Wendy Shon is a revelation. Long established as a genius songwriter and a moving lyricist, today's live performances of her title track and promoted b-side tell us something we have been missing all these years: no one can bring out the true sentiments of a Son Seungwan original than Wendy herself."

Seulgi smiles proudly at her embarrassed same-age friend while the other two smile at them fondly. She puts an arm around Wendy's shoulder and continues reading.

"The album's eponymous title track, 'Preface', is an introduction to Wendy's new start. She confessed during the Q&A that the album is autobiographical in nature."

Sooyoung looks up at Seungwan, although she already knows this fact. The singer gives her a knowing smile.

Seulgi continues to read the review as the critic raves about her emotion and honesty, saying each track on the album is just as important as the lead single.

"While she continues to keep the details private, the songs alone give us an in-depth preview to the inner workings of Wendy Shon's heart and mind."

"If there's one deep cut even casual listeners should look out for, it's the bittersweet final track 'IMY' reminding us that missing someone doesn't mean we have to try again. We look forward to joining you in your new beginning, Wendy Shon."

Seulgi smiles and gives Seungwan a tight hug after reading the last sentence. The singer is blushing and smiling and happy although it's one review out of many to come.

"Don't be nervous, alright?" the photographer tells her, patting her back. "And thank you."

Sooyoung discreetly pats away the tears in her eyes. The two really seem to have become best friends.

The youngest in their friend group arrives shortly after and Joohyun gets up to greet her as if it's her own house. Seulgi, Seungwan, and Sooyoung start to watch videos of the songs Wendy performed at the showcase.

Yerim is understandably near death after a long product shoot for hair dryers and helps herself to the food. Seulgi kicks her butt lightly, telling her to be courteous and greet Wendy first.

"Congratulations on your debut album, unnie," she greets with a smile, a slice of pizza onhand. She sticks a tongue out at Seulgi and settles comfortably into one of the chairs, watching the videos with them.

Joohyun reaches towards the signed albums and looks for the one addressed to her. "You wrote each of us a special message?"

"She did?" The two youngest ask, immediately attempting to find theirs in the small stack.

Sooyoung takes hers and places Seulgi's on her lap, the photographer too engrossed in the performance she's watching. She lightly taps her girlfriend's chin upwards. Her mouth was hanging slightly open in awe.

When she snaps out of her dazed state, Seulgi pushes her specs up her nose to read the message on the signed album.

"Are you crying?" Sooyoung coos. She scoots closer to see what the message says.

"To Seulgi," Wendy wrote on Seulgi's signed album, "for the role you played in the making of this album, not just creatively. I can move forward with peace in my heart because she has you."

Sooyoung smiles and gives Seulgi a kiss on the side of her head. When Seungwan returns to her seat, she asks Sooyoung what happened and gives Seulgi a firm squeeze on the shoulder.

"Oh…" Seungwan says, her turn to give Seulgi a hug now. "Hey. Stop crying," she tells her, laughing softly. She gives the girl some water and tries to help her calm down.

"Did you read yours?" the singer asks in a soft voice. The countdown to the MV premiere was already playing on the screen. 2 minutes.

The creative shakes her head. "If she's crying then it might be worse for me."

"I need to go to the bathroom," Seulgi says, laughing at herself now. "Thank you, Seungwan. Really."

Wendy laughs with her. "I'm more grateful to you. Be quick!"

Sooyoung looks at the signed album in her hands then turns to look at Yerim who is taking photos of hers and Joohyun who has her copy clumsily tucked into her tote bag.

"What does yours say?" she asks the actress.

Joohyun stares ahead at the TV, arms crossed. "It's addressed to me so I'm not telling you. What's with Seulgi?"

She leans back on the sofa and crosses her arms as well. "It's addressed to her so I'm not telling you."

"You literally looked at it and it's not addressed to you," Joohyun points out. "Privacy still matters in a relationship, Sooyoung."

Sooyoung scrunches her face playfully. "You have a lot to say for someone who hasn't dated in forever."

Joohyun only elbows her ribcage and holds back a smile. "It's starting."

"I'm back!" Seulgi announces, her shin hitting the edge of the side table. She settles into her seat and tries not to show her pain. Her girlfriend just sighs and starts to massage the affected area.

"How are you so blind with glasses on," Yerim teases. Seulgi throws a ball of tissue her way and Sooyoung takes both of Seulgi's hands, placing them firmly on her lap so she "stops acting like a child".

The mood becomes much lighter and celebratory, because that's what they came for. Sooyoung pops the bottle open and the rest of the evening is a blur of teasing and eating and listening to the album together.

"Wendy unnie," a slightly slurring Yerim says as the last song ends. The champagne is barely alcoholic but they let her have her moment. "I have an idea for promoting the last track since critics like it so much."

"What is it?" Seungwan asks. She quickly learned from their first night out as five that indulging her makes it easier to trick her into drinking more water.

"So I watched this Chinese film called 'Us And Them'," she starts.

Seulgi groans. "My cousin won't shut up about that movie."

Yerim ignores her. "It's about these two people who met on a train, fell in love, and they later separated but years later they reunited and talked about their relationship."

"That's like a lot of different movies," Joohyun comments, sipping on a cup of cola.

"They come to terms with the fact that even if they did what they could have to stay together, they wouldn't have been right for each other," the youngest continues. Sooyoung stares awkwardly, wondering if the kid can hear herself.

"So it's like your song, right?" Yerim asks and Wendy nods slowly, meeting Sooyoung's gaze and smiling apologetically. "So at the end of the film there's just these written messages from people for their ex loves. Relationships that didn't work out and they're happy it didn't work out, though it's a mix of genuine gratitude and pure resentment."

"Wouldn't that be plagiarism?" Wendy asks.

Yerim holds up an index finger in front of her face. "No, because it perfectly fits your song and we can focus on relationships that were great no matter how they ended."

"We can ask people to write their messages to that person in their life and film a short clip of themselves showing the message," Sooyoung suggests, mostly because she doesn't want Yerim to keep talking and use them as an example. "So we can pick the best ones and make a special lyric video with them?"

Yerim gives her a thumbs up. "See? She gets what I'm going for."

"They can be creative with their entries," Joy adds.

"If you get more than you need for a video then," Seulgi butts in. "You can have the extra videos play on a LED display panel as an ad? Rent ad time on a subway or bus stop or a billboard or a truck."

Wendy looks intrigued. "This is a great idea and I'm honored you think the song deserves that level of promotions but my company doesn't have that kind of money."

"I'll pay for it," Joohyun chimes in. Everyone looks for a hint of a joke on her face. "I'm serious. Production and advertising costs. Let's make this happen."

Seulgi claps her hands together and grins. "More money for the agency."

"More listeners for Seungwan," Joohyun corrects. "Open submissions for a week or cut it off at 100."

"The song is 4 minutes long. We only need around 40 for the video. Let's cut it at 60," Sooyoung suggests. Everyone seems to agree.

"...do I need my company's permission for this?"

The others sigh. "You literally own the rights to the song," Joohyun says. "Just get that part sorted for us. Let them know about the plans so we can have the video uploaded on your channel."

"We can launch it in exactly two weeks," Joy adds. "That should keep the momentum going for your album."

Wendy looks overwhelmed but quickly declares she's onboard.

"Good job, Yerim," Seulgi cheers, giving their youngest a pat on the back.

There's still plenty of food to go around so the five of them now sit around the coffee table, talking about anything and everything.

Everyone seems to agree with Sooyoung: Seulgi looks cute in specs. She argues she might lose or break them, or they're inconvenient when she works, but they push her until she agrees to wear them outside at least once a week.

For the evening, they forget who they are in the outside world and just focus on themselves and what they have between them.

Sooyoung leans her entire weight on Seulgi, who keeps an arm around her to pull her close or rub circles around her knee or shoulder. She's tired but now they have started talking about what they would write if they participated in the project they planned.

"Seulgi," Joohyun calls out, laughing. "Remember that transferee I was obsessed with in my last year of high school?"

The photographer nods and laughs with her. "I didn't understand why then but I was so jealous."

"She has a baby now and she asked me to be the godmother," the actress sighs. "I'm not even religious. We were never together but I think I'd write something like… I might never get married but thank you for naming your baby after me. Such a pretty baby."

The other girls frown and tell her it's not too late for her to find someone.

Irene laughs softly. "If there's someone good, I guess. She'd have to be okay with carrying the baby because I won't."

Seungwan blinks at the revelation. "There is not one straight person in this room."

The others laugh and respond with a responding "no", teasing her for not figuring it out by now. She's a very fresh addition to their circle, not that Sooyoung had joined that much earlier.

Seulgi thinks hard about what she'd write. "I can think of two people, though they weren't really relationships."

"Joohyun unnie and that designer who's now in Milan?" Sooyoung asks, whispering into her ear. Seulgi gives her the slightest nod, squirming when her girlfriend blows into her ear. "Knew it."

"I'm right here, what do you want to say?" Joohyun teases.

Yerim tries to fill Seungwan in. "They go way, way back. Very intense, unrequited high school crush. Middle school? Whatever."

Sooyoung presses a finger against the bridge of her nose and tries to stifle a laugh, newly aware it was more complicated than that. She presses a kiss behind Seulgi's ear and smiles when she leans into her.

"Thank you for the level of respect you showed me," Seulgi finally says to Joohyun. Everyone else turns to her as she speaks.

"I lost my self-respect for a while," she continues, laughing at herself. "But how you treat me helped me define how I let myself and others treat me. You insisted on having difficult conversations because you think I was capable of having them and I deserved to understand."

Joohyun smiles, her eyes glimmering. "That's very long," she teases.

"I'll only write the first sentence," Seulgi huffs. "I think you would understand why anyway."

"Yeah," the eldest agrees. "I would know."

"What would you say to the other person?" Seungwan asks. "I mean I don't know your whole story yet but… it can give me a glimpse."

"I'll just write 'Thank you for not leaving me empty-handed'," Seulgi replies, laughing.

"You make it sound like you were robbed before," Yerim said. "Like you had a past experience where you woke up and your wallet was gone."

Everyone bursts into laughter and Sooyoung is relieved because she does not have the energy to stop them from throwing things at each other.

"I think Sooyoung and I already know what we have to say," Wendy adds, scratching the back of her head. "She still hasn't read my message on her signed album though!"

Joy sighs and reaches for the album on the sofa. "Should I read it out loud?"

"Umm. You don't have to."

A curious Seulgi leans in to see and Sooyoung is already trying not to cry. "See you're just as bad as I am," she teases, pulling her into a hug.

She opts to read it quietly.

"Sooyoung," it read. "We had something great but I'm happy we're both somewhere better. You found your resting place and a steady anchor. What you have gives me hope I would too."

"You would," Sooyoung says quietly, smiling at her.

Yerim lets out a loud yawn and apologizes for ruining the moment.

"It's getting late, isn't it?" Joohyun adds, looking at her watch. "How is it only 10PM?"

Seulgi gets off the floor and helps Sooyoung up. "Let's clean up and let Seungwan have a good night's rest. She had a long day."

"We all had a long day," Sooyoung says, yawning now as well. She gives Seungwan a quick hug and nags Yerim to help her with the dishes while the older three clear the trash.

Wendy thanks everyone for their time and effort at the end of the night, everyone instinctively coming together for a hug.


	29. Definition of a home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you already read the update earlier, I reuploaded because I'm more satisfied with this version. ^^

Friday nights should be all about fun and relaxation but that’s not easy when you’re meeting your girlfriend’s parents for the first time the next day. Sooyoung is worrying about what to wear while Seulgi is knocked out. She had a busy day trying to get everything done to ensure her weekend is completely free.

Her own mother wasn’t exactly helpful when she asked “What did you wear when you first met dad’s parents?”

It’s not that she doesn’t remember what she wore. It’s that she doesn’t think it mattered. Their first meeting didn’t happen until they were already married and she was already pregnant with Joy.

You see, her parents are from opposite ends of the country. Her dad is from Jeolla while her mom is from Jeju and they met while on vacation with their respective friend groups in Gangwon.

They claimed it was love at first sight and eloped to Seoul, only telling their parents at first that they found jobs there.

The first meeting was easy. It’s always chilly at Lunar New Year so she was wearing a chunky knit sweater that hid her barely-there baby bump when they visited their respective families. You couldn’t really go wrong with monochrome winter clothes.

By the time they visited for the mid-autumn harvest festival, there was no hiding a newborn Park Sooyoung.

So much for a Christian family.

After explaining the truth of having long been married, their parents easily fell in love with their new granddaughter.

Her mom always said they were lucky Sooyoung was so pretty since birth.

Sooyoung has asked everyone who knows about her and Seulgi what to wear, what to do. Unfortunately for her, not many lesbians have the fortune of meeting with the parents.

She sighs and takes a page out of her mom’s book. Joy settles for a light knit cardigan and a pair of jeans because it’s a fail proof combination. For Sunday morning, she picks a knee-length floral dress and packs it along with her sleepwear and skincare kit.

Seulgi turns to hug her as soon as she slips under the covers. She has a talent of knowing when it’s Sooyoung right beside her. The older girl pulls her into a tight hug, responding adorably when asked for a kiss, and Sooyoung’s worries disappear for the night.

Originally, the plan was to join the Kang parents for dinner but the couple found themselves free way too early in the morning. Seulgi excitedly agreed to going there earlier so they could have lunch at home.

It was hard to say no to such a bright smile. Sooyoung braced herself as they got in the car and Seulgi started talking about her mother’s specialty dishes and what their house was like.

Driving to the Kang residence took too little time for Sooyoung to even get nervous. She called her mom on their way and she prayed for their safe travels and good memories.

“Still nervous?” Seulgi asks as their house comes into view. It’s in the middle of the city, somewhere near the Ansan stream, but it’s quaint and welcoming. How could she be nervous when even Seulgi’s childhood home feels like her?

Her mother opens the gate so Seulgi can park inside and Sooyoung finds it so cute that Seulgi’s mom is even tinier than her daughter.

As soon as they get off the car, Seulgi’s mom greets her with arms wide open and she knows she just has to give her a hug.

Being a good hugger, like being a good photographer, seems to run in the family.

Seulgi quietly volunteers to bring their bags inside as her mom starts to ask Sooyoung how she’s been, if she slept well or at all last night, and if she’d like what they prepared for lunch.

The wonderful woman has short hair. Sooyoung can’t help but wonder if Seulgi will try a similar style a decade or two from now.

“Where’s dad?” Seulgi asks as they enter the living room. It’s clean and tidy and similar to her own. Sooyoung finds family pictures everywhere, some of Seulgi’s awards and sports trophies, which are perhaps her brother’s, were also out for display.

Part of today’s lunch is already spread across the small table in the middle room, comfortable cushions around, and she can still smell something delicious cooking from the kitchen.

“He’s over at the orchard checking on the peach trees,” her mom answers. “He should be back for lunch.”

She leads the couple to one of the bedrooms and tells Sooyoung it was Seulgi’s as a child. It’s still where she sleeps when she stays the night, which means the two would be staying there too.

"I need to finish preparing lunch so you two just get settled here, okay?"

Seulgi nods and hugs her. "Thank you, mom!"

The room looks like it was renovated recently but there are still remnants of Seulgi’s childhood scattered around.

Childhood pictures, more memories from school, and a few more awards were on the walls. There’s a stack of old magazines, sketchbooks, books, and CDs too. Whereas the older girl owns a record player back at their apartment, she owns a cassette player here.

“Umm,” the older girl starts, laughing awkwardly as Sooyoung sits on the floor and just takes it all in. “I’ve always been a hoarder, I guess.”

“I can see that,” Sooyoung replies, smirking. Their beddings for the night were still folded, leaning against a wall. There’s a small dresser with a few of Seulgi’s clothes, some of which Sooyoung has seen before.

Except for a few relics from her infant years, Seulgi’s family has donated all her old clothes. Not that anyone would ever catch her with a bad outfit, even in childhood.

Seulgi picks up a scrapbook from the stack and shows it to Sooyoung. The pages contain cute little drawings and photos of a Seulgi as a baby, all the way up to her elementary school days.

“How about stuff from middle school and high school?” Sooyoung asks, curious about what seemed to be such an important part of the older girl’s life growing up.

Her girlfriend laughs and looks for the one that logged her teenage years. “I had braces during 8th grade so I didn’t really smile in pictures.”

As one might expect, there were photos of Seulgi in her school uniform and at events. She seems to have excelled in PE and it looks like she’s tried every sport. There’s a photo of her and high school freshman Joohyun, which looks like it was cropped from a group photo.

“Who did you crop out of the picture?” Sooyoung teases. Seulgi was still shorter than Joohyun in the picture. Judging by the ones in the following pages, she caught up to her quickly.

Seulgi clears her throat and coughs her answer. “My brother.” The two of them burst into laughter and Seulgi flips up the piece of paper that covered her brother’s face.

“You look exactly alike,” Joy comments. “I know I already said this last year but it’s crazy.” 

The older girl only stares at her before she scrunches her face and adds Seulgi is much more handsome. Satisfied, Seulgi flashes a bright smile and shows her the rest of the pictures. You could see where it went from film camera prints to ones from the clunky digital cameras of the time.  


“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

The older girl winces at herself. “Almost every page has a picture of me and Joohyun unnie.”

“And you didn’t realize you liked her until high school,” Sooyoung simply says, teasing. “We need to catch up and take more pictures then.”

Seulgi smiles affectionately. “We’ll have a lot of time to do that.” She leans over for a kiss but their sweet moment is interrupted by Seulgi’s mom calling them for lunch.

From a distance, they hear another car pull up in the driveway and Seulgi pouts when Sooyoung props herself up to stand.

“Just one more,” the older girl whispers, pulling her into her lap for another kiss.

“Don’t make me come get you,” her mother warns. Seulgi only pulls Sooyoung closer, the younger girl whimpering into the kiss. They only stop when her mother starts a countdown.

Ultimately, it’s pretty awkward if your parents see you kiss someone. And those weren’t exactly innocent kisses either.

While it was thrilling, Sooyoung pushed herself off of her girlfriend’s lap and helped her up.

Mr. Kang is in the living room when the couple enters, pinkies looped together because Sooyoung is still very much nervous about meeting them.

“Hi, sir,” Sooyoung tries in her brightest but most polite smile.

“What do you mean by ‘sir’,” he responds, his face breaking into a smile as she pulls her into a hug. “Call me dad.”

Sooyoung hugs back, shyly at first, but she can’t help her smile back. “It’s so great to finally meet you,” she says, pausing still before adding “dad”.

“So you’re the one our princess loves,” he says, and Sooyoung could not possibly smile any bigger. “She tells us so much about you. We weren’t surprised when she finally told us she was in love with you and was planning to ask you to be her girlfriend.”

“Dad,” Seulgi whines, covering her face in embarrassment. She walks up to him and gives him a big hug when Sooyoung steps back.

“But it’s true,” he simply says, hugging her tightly. “I missed you, princess.”

“I missed you too, dad,” Seulgi replies, letting him sway her from left to right.

Seulgi’s mom invites them to sit down and eat. “You can continue embarrassing your daughter over lunch,” she says, laughing as they settle down around the low table.

He doesn’t waste any time and starts talking. “You know, Sooyoung, she hasn’t told us about anyone she liked in years. I was starting to think she’s given up on love entirely.”

Love, sure. But girls in general, Sooyoung simply looks at Seulgi with a questioning look.

“It’s true,” he adds. “She was so heartbroken after Joohyun so I was scared when she said there’s someone she likes. No parent wants their child to get hurt. But I’m happy Joohyun is a great friend to her now and Seulgi has you.”

Sooyoung blushes and smiles at him. “I don’t know what I can do to prove that you can trust me.”

“You don’t have to,” he replies. “You love her, right?”

The question makes her feel warm all over. “Of course.” She feels Seulgi place a hand on her knee from under the table and Sooyoung places her hand above it. “I love her so much.”

Seulgi’s dad smiles warmly. “Then that’s all we need to know.”

They must have been really hungry because it’s quiet for a while, save for the sound of dishes and utensils and eating. Seulgi’s mother starts talking about the exhibition and they start trying to catch up on what Seulgi has been up to.

The older girl brags about Sooyoung’s amazing first week in her new position. It’s stressful, she admits, but it’s been going well. They’re already seeing how much her work is helping the company improve their work and reach their goals.

“Speaking of the exhibition,” Seulgi’s mom says, “I already have the negatives and everything else you need ready. You can get them when we’re done eating.”

“I should show the prints we have to Sooyoung later,” Seulgi thinks aloud. “People will love your work, mom.”

“I’m going to steal all your jobs,” her mother teases, reaching over to pinch Seulgi’s cheek when she pouts.

It’s not hard to warm up to Seulgi’s parents when they are just like her.

She looks exactly like them too. Even when they’re talking about their family, reminiscing on their memories, Sooyoung never feels left out.

They ask her what her family is like and she happily tells them. The Kang parents admired the way she works hard to provide for her family and support her sister’s education, and were relieved to hear she still has enough for her needs and wants.

They talk about Sooyoung’s parents. She tells them about how they met and fell in love and Seulgi’s parents, who look like they’re still very much in love with each other, share their story too.

They’re originally from Daejeon, Joy remembers Seulgi talking about this, and moved to Ansan for her father’s job.

Seulgi’s grandmother on her father’s side used to live with them but she started missing their hometown.

“I’m not sure if Seulgi unnie told you about this,” Sooyoung says, “But I went to the same high school as a freshman. But after that, we had to move back to Jeju because my mom’s mom was getting sick.”

Seulgi’s mother frowns and shares her condolences when she hears Sooyoung’s grandmother has passed. “Did you and Seulgi know each other back then, though?”

“We did,” Seulgi answers. “She was always trying to talk to me,” she adds, laughing.

“You never told us this part,” her dad says. “So she has always liked you. No wonder it was easy.”

Sooyoung ran a hand through her hair and laughed. “I had a big crush on her before I even realized it was a crush. When she was about to graduate, I confessed.”

“And you rejected her,” Seulgi’s mom says, looking at Seulgi with a teasing smile. “It’s alright. Sooyoung was too young then. And Seulgi wouldn’t know what to do.”

Seulgi laughs and nods. “It was around the time I was heartbroken over Joohyun unnie too.”

Her mother reaches over to pat her head. “Timing is everything. I’m happy you met again as adults.”

“Yeah,” the older girl says with a meaningful smile, intertwining their fingers under the table. “I’m happy too.”

The young couple volunteered to clear the table and wash the dishes after lunch. Seulgi’s mom wanted to protest but she quickly relented.

Seulgi’s father wanted his afternoon nap after an early morning at the agricultural area on the north end of the city. She figured she can use some rest too before they head out for dinner at their favorite family restaurant and an evening walk at the park.

The two have silently developed an efficient system when doing the dishes together. They were done in no time and when they dried off the last of the dishes, they decided to retreat to Seulgi’s room.

“I’m sorry to ask but why didn’t your brother join us today?” Sooyoung wonders aloud, watching Seulgi set the beddings on the floor. Perhaps they can take an afternoon nap or just lie around.

Seulgi walks over to the door to lock it and Sooyoung stares at her. “Don’t get the wrong idea.”

“I’m not,” she says defensively. “Anyway, answer my question. Or not, if you’re not comfortable.”

The older girl walks to the dresser to find comfortable clothes to change into. Sooyoung is self-indulgent so she watches her as she changes out of her jeans and button-down ensemble.

If she caught her staring, Seulgi only smiles as she turns around and offers a set of clothes to Sooyoung.

“He doesn’t visit as often as I do,” she answers. “But he’s sure to come home for the holidays or birthdays.”

Sooyoung nods and changes into the clothes Seulgi gave her. It’s a large shirt from some brand and comfortable shorts.

“I also kind of forgot to tell him we’re coming today,” Seulgi admits, laughing at herself. “It’s not like I don’t want him to meet you.”

She takes the space next to Seulgi who’s already lying down and cuddles up to her. “Joohyun unnie sounds like she hates him.”

The older girl adjusts so they’re lying down more comfortably. “They were in a few classes together in high school and I must admit he was a huge jerk. He's a better person now, though. Still annoying in the way older brothers are but not too bad.”

“I’m the eldest in my family, I wouldn’t know what that’s like,” Sooyoung points out.

Seulgi laughs and kisses her forehead. “He’s annoying but he shows me he loves me without really saying it.”

Sooyoung thinks about it for a bit and shrugs. “Your parents seem pretty chill about you dating and all. And a girl for that matter. Is your brother dating anyone..?”

“He doesn’t really care about dating. He just does whatever makes him happy,” Seulgi replies. “Meanwhile with me… my parents just really wanted a daughter, you know? They were so scared of losing me since I was unhealthy as a newborn. So they were ready to embrace me whatever I wanted to do or become.”

“That’s beautiful,” the younger girl says, smiling. “And you’re the world’s most filial daughter too.”

“If it comes to it… I do want to take care of them until the very end,” her girlfriend shares, her voice cracking a bit. Sooyoung kisses her softly on the cheek and turns her towards her.

“I would do the same for mine, too. Now, don’t cry. They look very healthy. I’m sure they’ll still be around to see their grandchildren.”

Seulgi’s eyes widen for a split second, her eyes appear to be searching Sooyoung’s face. Sooyoung acknowledges what she said and what it implied. Her cheeks warm up as her heart beats just a bit faster.

“Yeah?” Seulgi simply says.

“Yeah,” Sooyoung affirms, kissing her chastely..

“I know this country has a higher life expectancy,” Seulgi says, looking a bit worried. “My brother is older than they were when they got married and honestly I can’t imagine anyone committing to him for life. What more being a dad.”

The younger girl chuckles. “Your mom isn’t asking for grandchildren yet, right?”

“No. She wants us to enjoy life first and all.” Seulgi looks at her intently and Sooyoung knows the question in her head. “Yours?” she asks instead.

Sooyoung shakes her head. “My sisters are still in university, although our middle child has had a boyfriend for over a year now.”

Seulgi inhales deeply. “I remember… We’ve talked about it and we’re both not super into the whole marriage thing.”

It almost breaks Sooyoung’s heart to look at her. If her parents’ story taught her anything, it’s that time has nothing to do with feeling settled.

“I don’t have strong feelings for or against it,” Sooyoung says carefully. She studies her girlfriend’s expression and it doesn’t seem so clear.

“I’ve changed my mind,” Seulgi blurts out quickly. She follows up with it immediately so Sooyoung doesn’t have time to wonder what she meant.

“Maybe this is crazy or too soon,” she explains, “but I want it to be you for the rest of my life.”

Sooyoung couldn’t find the words to respond so she kisses Seulgi and hopes it tells her how she feels. It’s long and it’s tender and the way Seulgi is kissing her back so softly and carefully is squeezing her heart.

Seulgi’s breath hitches and Sooyoung wipes away at a tear rolling down her cheek.

“I told you, you need to get me a ring,” Sooyoung teases when she pulls away. She tries to catch her breath and, after a moment, tells Seulgi she wants it to be her too. The older girl responds with another kiss and a few more, whispering “I love you” in between each one.

“There’s a lot to figure out,” Seulgi says, cupping her cheek. Getting married would be a lot simpler if they weren’t both women, Sooyoung knows that. “And your career is just starting to take off. I don’t ever want to get in the way of any of that.”

The younger girl presses an index finger against her nose. “I need to at least make sure my sisters get jobs first,” she tells her honestly.

Her head is already spinning from the thought but one thing’s for sure, she’s happy. She’s not too worried about the technical part, no matter how complicated it would get. They can afford to save up for it, thank goodness.

She just didn’t really expect to be talking about a life together forever so soon. And not that it would feel like this. So real and possible and sure.

She wonders what got into teenage Sooyoung’s head when she was dreaming of getting married by 25. Marriage is not easy.

“I’m not rushing,” Seulgi assures her. “That’s in three years? Five years or ten, I don’t mind waiting. I’ll be there.”

Joy bites her lip and looks at Seulgi lovingly. “You really think so?”

“Very bold, right?” the older girl asks, laughing at herself shyly. “We’re bound to have our disappointments but I think we’ll really last.”

She lets out a deep breath and lightly knocks her forehead against Seulgi's, scratching lightly at the collar of the older girl's shirt. “Yeah. I think we will too.”

Sooyoung smiles at her playfully and tugs her sleeve down to expose a shoulder, planting kisses along Seulgi’s shoulder and up her neck.

“What are you doing?” Seulgi asks, very well aware of what's going on.

“You are so sexy when you are serious,” she says, laughing quietly. Her hand is moving up Seulgi’s shirt intently now. “I can’t help it.”

“So you’re trying to have sex with me in my parents’ house?” Seulgi asks. Despite her words she moans when Sooyoung places a hot, wet kiss right under her jaw.

“Only if my future wife wants to,” Sooyoung says, blushing at her own words.

Seulgi bites on her lower lip to hold back a smirk and moves so she’s hovering above Sooyoung, body weight pressing deliciously against hers.

“We’ll just have to be quiet, then.”


	30. End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last one! Thank you, everyone, for reading this far and being part of this journey. I am currently writing the spin-off for Seulgi and Joohyun's past entitled Homerun, starting off when they met.
> 
> Happy mid-autumn festival to those who celebrate it!

Moving is a daunting task but the timing couldn’t be any more ideal.

No one really moves in or out during the holidays, except Seulgi two years ago.

It’s the new year and they managed to find a real estate agent desperate to rent out a beautiful space that’s been vacant for months now.

There’s nothing wrong with the apartment, per se. There’s a large master’s bedroom, a full bathroom, a home office, a spacious living room, and a fully-equipped kitchen.

God knows they could use the home office. Being able to work anywhere in your home is nice but they need to start drawing lines. 

Seulgi is considering a more powerful computer for work too and Joy is excited about the idea of decorating her personal workspace.

She loves her private space in the company office, designed exactly to her taste, but at home there’s no one barging in every now and then to bring her out of her grind.

Not working outside of office hours is more preferable. Still, they like having the option of working comfortably at home.

The entire vibe suits Seulgi’s minimalist aesthetic and they plan to replace the huge painting above the headboard with one of Seulgi’s.

Sooyoung chose her favorite among her girlfriend's larger works. It’s a landscape painting of the area along Han River where they had a few beers many months ago. Seulgi said that was the night her feelings started becoming clearer and she knew she wanted to be more than just friends.

The apartment is in Itaewon, Seulgi’s favorite district as of late, and perhaps the only thing putting people off from living there is it’s right near The Hill.

It’s perfect and almost hilarious when they tell their friends about it.

The Hill is a 360-foot long alleyway in Itaewon, marked by street art that signifies the acceptance of LGBTQ individuals.

Seulgi has only been there a few times, to one of its dozen or so gay and lesbian bars and establishments, while Sooyoung has only ever heard of the place.

While their friend group provides all the support they need to ignore the outside pressures of the world, it’s great knowing there’s a community close by.

The real estate agent was more than relieved when they agreed to sign the lease, a two-year deposit that could be extended if they want.

He looked like he wanted to ask if they were a couple, but he knew better than that.

“How long have you known each other?” he asks instead, making small talk so it sounds like he actually cares instead of how he actually just wants to make the deal.

Sooyoung counts back to when she was a high school freshman. “9 years.”

“We only reconnected three years ago,” Seulgi adds, pausing after realizing she’s sharing too much to a stranger. She turns to look at Sooyoung and bares her teeth awkwardly.

The agent just feigns interest a little longer before shaking their hands and handing over the keys. “You can move in any time.”

"Next Sunday,” the two of them agree instantly.

Sooyoung’s skills as a project manager continue to be a blessing. She planned how they would minimize the need for a moving service and it was working out smoothly.

They slowly start packing their things, bringing a few boxes at a time in Seulgi’s car so they can drop them off at their new place after work.

Bigger furniture and electronics would have to be outsourced to a moving company.

The rest, including a collection of toys Sooyoung didn’t even know Seulgi had, were safely transported by themselves.

“You didn’t tell me you owned all this,” Sooyoung said as she picked up the box. The older girl had forgotten to tape it shut. She would have to explain herself when they unpack anyway.

Seulgi clasped her fingers together, blushing red when she saw a harness and a long, silicone toy peek out of the top.

“It never came up.”

“Where did you hide this the entire time?” Sooyoung looked at her embarrassed girlfriend with an expression she cannot quite place. “I’m not mad nor am I shaming you. I figured you would have use for it being single so long.”

“Was the last sentence necessary? And you said you’re not shaming me,” the older girl responds, desperately wanting to break eye contact but Sooyoung was staring her down.

Seulgi runs a hand through her hair when Sooyoung tilts her head to the side as if asking “Well?”

“There’s a drawer under the bed,” she answers reluctantly. “The sheets cover it.”

“When did you last use any of these?” Sooyoung asks, poking through the things in the box now. The variety and the size of things in there was really something.

The older girl pinches the bridge of her nose. She looks like she’s about to pass out. “A day or two before we got together.”

“All the while I was in the other room,” her girlfriend says pointedly. “I didn’t know the walls were soundproof.”

“Very bold of you to say, you’re pretty loud,” Seulgi retorts, regaining some composure now.

Sooyoung sets the box down on top of the bed and crosses her arms. “Did you know how hard I tried to be quiet before? That, or I waited until you were somewhere else.”

“Oh so you wanted me that bad,” the older girl responds, mimicking her pose. She tries to stand tall, well aware her girlfriend is taller. She trades her embarrassment for smugness.

“Yes,” Sooyoung replies, squeezing her eyes shut. Her turn to be flustered now. “Whatever. I’m packing these away.”

“I didn’t mean to keep it away from you,” Seulgi says, voice soft although there’s a hint of teasing in her voice. She’s stepping closer to Sooyoung now. “If it helps, we can use them…”

Her girlfriend gives her a questioning look before picking up the packing tape, the sound ripping through the room as she stretches it out.

“At our new place. After I consider the options we have.”

Seulgi’s eyes glimmer with what appears to be satisfaction and Sooyoung just rolls hers, ripping the tape off with her teeth.

Sunday arrives sooner than expected and it takes them the whole week to fully unpack and put everything in place.

It’s Friday night when, at Joohyun’s urging, they host a housewarming party. Everyone makes time for it. There’s Joohyun, Ten, Mino, Seungwan, Yerim, and a handful of colleagues.

Dinner started at 7 and everyone starts asking questions about their relationship, their new place, and how much has changed since they first moved in together.

The most significant difference being their relationship was much clearer now. Joohyun’s eyes widen at the sight of their matching slim silver rings but she doesn’t say anything about it.

(It’s more of a promise than an engagement for now. Seulgi didn’t say much when she gave it to her last Christmas.)

They have been together for a few months, just a few weeks longer than Sooyoung has been as Creative Lead. Mino was already strongly considering making her a Director and she shyly waves it off.

With the increase in their quality of work came the demand. The founder is planning to launch a sister company to focus on smaller, local brands and startups while the main company will focus on bigger accounts.

There is already word going around about who will be leading the new branch but everyone is playing coy about it.

Some were saying they would need to move the more tenured employees with proven experience in growing new brands.

Ten is visibly nervous and excited. He knows he’s being considered.

“Yerim will surely have a job after graduation now,” one of their colleagues said goodnaturedly.

The intern’s eyes flit up from hiding behind a glass of wine. She would be leaving the company to focus on her last few semesters at the university but they’ll definitely have a place for her.

The creative complex was bustling as well. Other than their self-initiated exhibitions, artists and brands have been renting the place for their own.

Seulgi’s initial exhibition for her mother and other women artists proved to be a success as well. It became a monthly thing, each one focusing on a different theme or medium.

Her mom joked about retiring from selling insurance for good when the exhibit and the press exposure resulted in offers to teach photography classes at their city’s community center. A few of her friends, who joked they would hire Seulgi instead of her if they could afford it, have offered projects for their small businesses as well.

On the subject of their friends, Seungwan is already preparing for her next album. There were rumors Joohyun would be appearing in the music video but they said nothing was final.

Joohyun shares she's on a break, one everyone agrees is very well deserved, and is carefully considering projects being offered to her.

Her most recent film was a hit in both the domestic and international box office. On top of that, it topped the trending list in a handful of Netflix territories.

By next week, she’ll start her months-long hiatus in her hometown.

“We’ll miss you,” Seulgi whines, offering another refill for her best friend’s glass of cola.

“You can get to Daegu by train in less than two hours,” Joohyun tells her. She'll never say she'll miss her too but they know.

It's only the five of them in the apartment now. Their colleagues have excused themselves because they seem to understand the friend group needs their time alone. This gathering was Irene's idea after all.

Yerim, Sooyoung, and Seungwan are playing a card game in the living room. The older two are conversing at the kitchen’s breakfast bar.

“Will we have the time to go and visit?” the photographer wonders aloud, munching on a few leftovers. “Maybe you can finally find the one there,” Seulgi teases. 

Joohyun rolls her eyes, scoffs. “I’ll be spending time with my family and catching up with my friends.”

“Your friends including…”

“Yes, including the one with the baby,” the eldest says, chuckling. “I'm over her like you're over me.”

Seulgi snickers. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be pushy.”

"You've always been a romantic," Joohyun points out. "So I get it. You're in love. It's working out so great and you want others to experience it too."

Seulgi follows her gaze and it falls to the ring on her finger.

Joohyun taps it once. "I'm happy for you."

“Ah, this,” the photographer mumbles, rubbing on it with her thumb. “It’s a promise ring.”

"I figured.”

“I think I’d ask for everyone’s help before a proposal,” Seulgi says, ducking her head.

Her best friend taps on the ring again. “You surprise me. You’ve really grown up, huh? If you get married—”

Seulgi looks up at her, expression incomprehensible.

“When,” she corrects herself. The younger girl eases instantly. “I’m not the emotional type but I just might cry at your wedding.”

Seulgi blinks at the tears already forming in her eyes and laughs at herself. She looks over at Sooyoung who is very intensely accusing Yerim of cheating and sighs.

“I love her.”

“You could approach her, you know,” Joohyun laughs. “She’s your girlfriend.”

The photographer rests a cheek on her palm. “I know but she’ll tease me about being too cheesy again.” She turns to Joohyun and resumes her questioning about her move back home. “You’re really never visiting Seoul while on hiatus?’

Joohyun shrugs. “It’s easier on my peace of mind. Dispatch would be crazy to follow me all the way there.”

“Sooyoung’s gonna miss you too, you know.”

"I know. She's really become like a little sister to me too," the eldest replies. There's a rare moment of softness before she becomes cheeky again. "But the offer is still on the table."

“What offer,” Seulgi murmurs, searching her memory. It hits her. She throws a rolled up ball of plastic towards Joohyun and misses. "You are insane! What makes you think that's something I would do?"

The actress cackles and brings her glass to the sink, effectively dodging another attack from Seulgi. She returns the clean glass to the dish rack and looks at her best friend with a bemused expression. Her eyes shift to a frustrated Sooyoung approaching the refrigerator.

“Babe,” Seulgi calls out, startled at her sudden appearance. “What’s got you like this?”

Sooyoung fills the bucket of ice in her hand and shows it to the two. “I lost the round so they made me get more ice. Are you two not joining us?”

“We were just wrapping up a conversation,” Seulgi says before Joohyun could open her mouth. “We’ll be with you in a bit.”

“Must be very serious,” Joy comments, slumping against Seulgi’s side. Her girlfriend rubs at her forearm and she eases into the touch. Sooyoung reaches over to thumb at Seulgi’s ring and smiles at her.

“How about we all join them in the living room?” Seulgi offers. She starts pushing her girlfriend towards that direction and the younger girl just lets her.

Seungwan and Yerim look up to ask Sooyoung what took her so long, but quickly smile when they see the other two finally joining them.

“So you’re going to hear this here first, but Yerim’s lyrics are going to be in my next album,” the singer announces happily. She places ice cubes into their glasses and pours the girls a small drink.

The others hound around Yerim and give her a big group hug and the youngest fakes disgust. They all know she loves the affection.

“Look at you, a whole songwriter!” Seulgi exclaims, pinching the kid’s cheeks. “She can sing quite well too, she just needs a little nudge.”

Seungwan nods, “I’m keeping part of the demo in the final song for the background vocals.”

“You didn’t say that,” Yerim squeaks, trying to dodge her unnies’ cheek kisses.

“You’re getting credit for it,” she tells her, joining the group hug. “Everyone’s going to love it.”

“Is it the title track?” Joohyun asks, always the first to retreat from the puppy pile on the floor.

Yerim shakes her head, “I’m not that confident… but it’s the promoted b-side.”

The eldest smiled approvingly. “Good. I can tip some reporters to write that you’re my cousin.”

“Don’t do that!” the youngest complains. “I don’t want people to think I’m using your fame or something.”

Joohyun smiles. “Maybe a week after the album is out.”

“You always find a way to cheat,” the intern sighs.

“It’s not cheating. It’s making the rules work for you. How do you think I made it this far?” her cousin asks, cackling. It’s not like Yerim has a choice.

Joohyun will play manager whenever she wants. She has too much money to not share with others. Her generous donation to promote the last track on Wendy’s debut album proved to be a worthy investment. 

Beyond the promotional video and the official ad, people started creating videos inspired by it and shared their own stories. The song rose up the charts and is still hanging out in the Top 50 last time they checked.

Yet she never claims anyone’s success as entirely her doing. She said Wendy has everything it takes to succeed. She just needed some extra support.

“How about we play another round?” Yerim asks when she finally breaks free of the older girls.

Joohyun starts shuffling the cards and asks if Seulgi would be able to make it without crying.

“Don’t cheat,” Seulgi warns although she knows it’s futile.

Seungwan lightly nudges Sooyoung’s elbow when she sits to her left. “Hey.”

“Hm?”

“Congratulations,” she says quietly, discreetly brushing a pinky across the ring.

Sooyoung tries to hide her face with her hair. “It’s a promise ring,” she explains, looking up to find Seulgi already beaming about the hand that’s dealt to her.

“I’m sure it’s one you two can keep,” Seungwan says, smiling. “Might even write a song about it.”

The taller girl looks up from her cards and raises her eyebrows, questioning.

“Not like that,” Wendy replies. She laughs quietly and finishes her turn. “Great love stories deserve to be immortalized. It’s… inspiring.”

Sooyoung furrows her brows and puts down a card. “It would be an honor.”

“Are you two conspiring to cheat, why are you whispering,” Yerim says, visibly annoyed with the cards she had to work with. The table they’re playing on is rather large and there’s a lot of space between each player.

“We’re not,” they both say, scooting further apart to avoid suspicion.

Seulgi stares at her cards and Sooyoung gets up to find her glasses for her. Her girlfriend smiles at her appreciatively and, being not so innocent, Joy takes a peek at her cards to see what she can do about it.

It helps.

She ends the game triumphantly and Yerim loudly declares she doesn’t want to play anymore. Seulgi actually manages to finish second to Sooyoung and the smile on her face is worth the extra look she took at Irene’s hand as she returned to her seat.

Joohyun just smirks at her, knowing what she did.

Their three guests exchange meaningful looks as the night dies down. They hug the couple goodbye and congratulate them once more on their new home.

When Seulgi starts to get emotional about this probably being the last time she sees Joohyun until who knows when, the eldest pouts and promises them she’d visit on Sunday.

Yerim complains about not being invited and Seungwan touches her forearm, smiling apologetically.

"Have fun, then. The three of you," the youngest huffs.

It takes Seulgi everything to not react when Sooyoung and Joohyun start laughing together.

"It's going to take a while to catch up to all the inside jokes, huh?" Wendy says, collecting her things.

Sooyoung collects herself and pats the singer's shoulder. "There's a lot of time for that. Get home safe."

"Rest well, you two," Joohyun says. "See you on Sunday."

The youngest is still leaning against the door.

"I thought you already left?" her cousin asks, putting an arm around her shoulder on the way out. Yerim mumbles a response. "Yeah, we can meet for lunch. I'll be meeting them at dinner time."

Not too long after, the couple's phones light up with text messages from the girls telling them they got home safely.

“You didn’t even have much alcohol,” Sooyoung coos at her emotional girlfriend, rubbing her back as she hugs her. 

It must suck to have to be away from your best friend for so long. Except for the two years they drifted apart, the two went through almost everything together.

“I had fun tonight,” Seulgi says when she cuddles up to Sooyoung in bed later, all ready to sleep. She completely accepts her role as the tinier one, wrapping a leg around her girlfriend’s waist.

The taller girl makes sure Seulgi is comfortable against her chest and kisses her forehead.

“Sooyoung,” Seulgi sighs contentedly, nuzzling into the crook of her girlfriend’s neck. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Are you… happy with me?”

Sooyoung holds her tighter and says yes, she is.

"Thank you for making your way back to my life when you did," Seulgi whispers, smiling contentedly. "We didn't know it right away but…"

"We are always in the right place and at the right time," Sooyoung tells her. She wouldn't have believed her own words this time last year.

They share a gentle kiss.

"Perfect."

"So perfect."


End file.
